Shadow of a Silver Panther
by Roisin Dubh
Summary: After shattering the Dominatus Crystal, Severus and Serena move on with their lives. But the Malfoys aren't likely to forget what Serena did to them... AU & OC.
1. The Cliffs of Mor

**Disclaimer: **I am merely playing in Rowling's world. I came up with Serena and some of the minor characters, but 99 of the characters and setting are Rowling's. I'm not getting paid or compensated. Just doing this for fun.

**Author's note: **This is an AU story so I've taken some creative liberties, so be aware before you read.

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**Shadow of a Silver Panther**

**Chapter 1: The Cliffs of Mor **

Serena Castleton-Black stood on the Cliffs of Mor, her favorite spot in all her native Ireland. She faced the sea and with her eyes closed, she listened to the surf pounding far below her. Stretching out her arms, she felt the wind play around her, pulling some of her hair free from her ponytail and letting it fly about her face. The morning mist had burned off and the late July sun warmed her back.

Nearly three months ago, Serena had nearly died after being encased by a Dominatus Crystal, but here in Ireland, that all seemed a long way off and a long time ago. Now, in just another week, she would return to Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for her second year as the Defense Against Dark Arts professor.

Behind her stood Severus Snape with his arms folded and amused smile barely touching his lips. His longish black hair blew in his face from the wind and he schooled his annoyance at that as he watched Serena drink in the essence of the Cliffs. When he'd first met Serena, Severus had hidden his attraction behind his usual wall of arrogance and disdain, but eventually they'd become lovers. They'd become more than that. Somehow, Serena had slipped past all of his walls and he'd fallen in love with her. Severus put his hand in his pocket and felt along the edge of the velvet ring box. He'd been carrying the damn thing since May.

Serena looked back over her shoulder and smiled at him. Severus was tall and pale, and his nose was rather large and hooked. In his early forties, his face carried a touch of middle aged weight. He was not what most people would describe as a handsome man, at least not in a typical way. But it was more than his face that had attracted Serena; it was his mystery, his keen intellect that had first turned her head. And then they had danced once, and there had been some unnamable, intangible something in they way they moved together that kindled an attraction the likes of which Serena never remembered feeling.

Severus watched Serena as she turned back to the cliffs again, still letting her hair be blown by the sea breeze. There were days he still couldn't believe that Serena found him attractive in the slightest. He had found her, however, intoxicating from just about the moment he met her. The first few weeks, he'd resented her for becoming the Defense Against Dark Arts professor, but his opinion changed quickly once he got to know her. Not only was she extremely bright – bright enough to challenge him intellectually – a quality he found to be devastatingly desirable, but she was down to earth and practical.

"Shall we go back to the house?" asked Serena when she finally walked away from the cliffs.

"If you're ready."

She looked back over her shoulder for a moment. "For now, yes, but I'm sure within a year I'll want to come back for another visit." Together, they walked the mile back to the cottage in comfortable silence.

The cottage where they were staying had a beautiful garden in the back. It was walled in, giving plenty of privacy. Around the walls were thick with flowers, lianthus, white and purple coneflower, and several colors of monarda. Closer to the center of the garden were smaller flowers… coreopsis in pinks and yellows, and cupid's dart. There was yarrow, too, and several types of day lilies. In the center of the garden, was a circular area of flagstone that held a table with some chairs and a bench. A stone path led to the house.

That night, under a golden full moon, Severus walked Serena out to the table for dinner. There were candles in suspended glass globes all around the garden. On the table were fine china and crystal, a bottle of wine, and a vase full of fresh roses. The dinner was a quiet affair: casual conversation sweetened by comfortable silences. Once, without a word, Severus reached out once and gently caressed Serena's hand before going back to his dinner. She smiled at him fondly, wondering at his far-away gaze.

After the dishes were cleared away, Serena watched him gaze up at the moon, his eyes on some distant point.

"Where are you, Severus?" she asked. "You've been distracted all through dinner. Is something wrong?"

Severus looked guilty.

"Are you so eager to get back to Hogwart's?" Serena came over and stood behind his chair. She leaned down and put her arms around him. He was silent for a long moment.

"I'm not a very pleasant man," he said softly. "I have made terrible choices in my life. I am temperamental and vengeful, and I have spent most of my life shutting people out." Serena's eyes opened a little wider at his unexpected evaluation of himself.

"My temper is at least a match for yours," she said, "and I am not so forgiving myself, as you know." She once again thought briefly of the day she threw him out of her cottage, thinking he'd lied to her. "You may be those things, but you are also intelligent and courageous, and it is all of the parts of you that make you the man I love."

Severus shut his eyes as she kissed the top of his head.

"I'm going in to get a cup of tea. Can I bring one out for you?"

He nodded. His fingers ran over the velvet ring box in his pocket. _And add a shot of whiskey to mine, he thought._

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_Well, I know a few of you have been waiting a quite a while for this to post. Hope it will end up being worth the wait. I probably won't post as frequently as I did with "Thunderstruck," but I promise to at least try to be fairly regular. Please read/review and let me know what you think…_


	2. Once in a Blue Moon

**Disclaimer: **see Chapter 1 please

**Author note: **The "R" rating is for some violence that will happen later in the story.

**Many thanks for the feedback…**

**Mercury Gray… **Yes, the hiatus produced much progress on my manuscript. Not finished but in much better shape. Hope you like Panther as much as you did Thunderstruck.

**Evenstar Elanor… **I've seen the Cliffs spelled a few different ways. I chose Mor because it is the easier spelling. Thanks – as always – for reviewing.

**Wyall Jared… **"Whee." I love it. I hope the rest of the story elicits the same response.

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**Chapter 2: Once in a Blue Moon **

An hour after dinner and after their cup of tea, Serena walked out into garden. The night breeze brought the scent of jasmine to her. She inhaled deeply and looked up at the full moon. By rights it was called the Thunder moon, but it was the second full moon in the same month this year: a Blue Moon. It hung in the sky, a silver and golden disk, mysterious behind a few high thin clouds that veiled it for a moment as they skimmed across the night sky. She heard Severus come out of the patio door.

"Isn't the moon beautiful tonight?" she asked.

"Indeed."

They stood together quietly and Serena took a hold of Severus' hand.

"Serena," he said in a thoughtful voice. "What do you want… out of life?"

"Wee bit philosophical tonight, aren't you, boyo?" she said with a low chuckle. She felt him stiffen slightly, taking the jibe more personally than she'd intended. She tightened her grip on his hand.

"No, don't be put off, luv. I was only having a wee bit of fun with you. What do I want out of life? Not much, I suppose. To be happy. To have good friends. To be loved."

"It's hard to find someone to love," said Severus. "Too many games, too many betrayals. Without trust, there cannot be love." He tried unsuccessfully to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"I know," she answered. "It takes a leap of faith to trust after you've been hurt." She thought back to the horrible day when she'd discovered that Severus had once been part of the Death Eaters, the same group who had murdered her mother. They'd had a terrible fight after that, and she hadn't spoken to Severus for weeks. But finally, she let go of her anger long enough to think. It was Malificus Malfoy who had murdered her mother, not Severus Snape. Serena had realized she was in love with Severus and she was willing to trust him. It had been a terrifying leap of faith, but she was thankful she'd made it.

Severus, too, understood betrayal. It had happened before, thinking someone loved him only to find that they had deceived him. There had been a point that he'd vowed never to care about anyone again, and for a while he'd kept to his vow. At least, he kept his vow until Albus Dumbledore had brought Serena Castleton-Black to Hogwart's to teach Defense Against Dark Arts, but even now old memories would slither back and haunt him…

_Severus Snape had to admit, his last year at Hogwart's was turning out to be his best. His exams had all come back with top grades so far. He'd put on a little weight to finally match his height; he wasn't skin and bones any more. The Marauders had only picked a few fights with him. And best of all, he'd had a steady girlfriend for most of the year. _

_Meredith Parson had short auburn hair and hazel eyes. She wasn't terribly tall and she was a year younger than Severus. Since she was only in her Sixth Year, Severus had begun to wonder how often he'd be able to see her once he graduated._

_He met Meredith behind the Slytherin Quidditch stands with plans to sneak down to the lake for a tumble before anyone missed them at the dorms. They hurried down to the lake and waited for the moon to be obscured by clouds._

_Severus kissed Meredith with the enthusiastic awkwardness of youth. At first, he didn't notice her disinterest, but when he slid his hand up under the white button-down school blouse, Meredith shifted and turned her face away._

"_What's wrong?"_

_She shrugged a little and tucked her shirt back into her skirt. "Nothing."_

"_That's a lie." _

_She sighed, sounding bored. "You want to know? Fine. I don't want to see you anymore."_

"_What? Why?" Severus was stunned and utterly confused._

"_I'm bored," she said._

_Bored? She's bored with me? Severus could feel his humiliation and temper rising. "And just when did you figure this out?" he snapped._

"_I don't know. Three months ago." She examined her nails._

"_Three months ago? And you're just getting around to telling me this now?" Severus felt a crushing weight constricting his chest. He liked Meredith… no, he loved her. At least he thought he did; he'd never been in love before._

"_No reason to before this."_

"_Before this?" Severus shouted as he stood up. "So now there's a bloody reason?"_

"_Grow up, Severus," she sighed. "This hasn't been real. This has just been, I don't know, a fling?"_

"_An eight month FLING?" He was furious._

"_What," she laughed. "You didn't actually think this was a serious relationship, did you?"_

_He was silent and grateful that the night hid the humiliated red stains on his cheeks._

_Meredith laughed harder. "You fell in love didn't you?" She laughed louder._

_Severus turned without a word and walked away. Her laughter haunted him all the way down the path. I did fall in love with you, you bitch, he thought, but never again. I won't let anyone get close enough to hurt me like this again._

Severus slammed a mental door down on the memory. It was still painful, and he still held a grudge against Meredith for how she treated him. But he'd broken that promise to himself. He'd let Serena into his heart, going against all his instincts, taking a chance he'd sworn he'd never take again. In front of him, Serena leaned into the garden to smell some of the night-blooming flowers.

_It's now or never, Severus. You've been avoiding this for weeks._ For a moment he hesitated again, that same raw fear of rejection burning the back of his throat. Then he plunged his hand into his pocket.

"I need to plant some of these in my garden," said Serena as she turned back to him. She was instantly on guard; Severus was looking at her with one of the most earnest and open expressions she'd ever seen him wear. He almost didn't look like the same man.

"Serena, You make me see the world… differently…." He fumbled over the words, silently cursing himself for looking foolish. He awkwardly dropped down on one knee. "Would you be my wife, Serena? Would you marry me? I love you."

He held up the ring that he'd been holding since May, but Serena didn't see the ring at first. She was completely focused on his face. The pounding of her heart filled her ears as she realized what he'd just said.

"Oh my," she whispered. This was a question she had never expected.

Fear curled in Severus' throat when she didn't immediately say anything else. _She's going to say no. I'm not worth marrying… _

But then Serena dropped to her own knees and threw her arms around his neck. "Yes," she said kissing him. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Severus let his breath out sharply, relief washing over him. He felt as if he'd thrown himself off the cliffs and managed to land on his feet like a cat.

"I love you," Serena said.

He took a hold of her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger. The enchanted band quivered and constricted creating a snug fit. At that point, Serena really took a good look at the ring. The center stone was a large blue topaz and there were two golden-hued stones on either side of it.

"This is just stunning," she said. "Are these topazes on the outside?"

"Blue and gold topaz."

Her smile widened. "Your birthstone," she said. "How perfect!" Serena kissed him again, this time a slow, soft kiss that made Severus catch his breath. He tangled up his fingers in her thick hair and she tilted her head back and sighed as he kissed her neck.

A moment later she said, "I suppose you're expecting a wee tumble in the garden now that you've given me this lovely bauble…"

"One would think," he said with a raised eyebrow, and then they both laughed. Severus shifted and started to stand, but she caught his arm and pulled him towards her. Off balance, he fell forward, landing practically on top of Serena.

She kissed him again and whispered in his ear, "The tumble in the garden wasn't a jest…"

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_Okay, I posted a little sooner than I thought I would, but those of you who know me aren't all that surprised, are you? For those of you who were waiting for "The Question," I hope it was worth the wait. I was aiming for relatively traditional, yet simple and sincere. Severus doesn't strike me as someone who would go too overboard._


	3. Like Wildfire

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1 and 2 for various and sundry disclaimers.

**Thanks for the reviews…**

**Mercury Gray… **Glad you liked the use of "curled." I was happy with how that turned out!

**Evenstar Elanor…** Will Meredith come back? Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to see.

**Wyall Jared… **Best sequel out there? Yikes! I hope the rest of this continues to live up to your high praise!

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**Chapter 3: Like Wildfire **

Serena was glad to see the familiar profile of Hogwart's as she and Severus approached on their brooms. They had elected to fly to and from their vacation in Ireland and enjoy the late August weather. Of course, to be cautious, they were camouflaged from below to prevent any Muggles from seeing them.

They touched down near Serena's cottage and stowed the brooms away. Their luggage, which had been towed behind them, was immediately pounced upon by Mina, Serena's House Elf.

"Mina will clean and press your clothes, Miss Serena," said the House Elf. "Mina will do it right away."

"That's not necessary," said Serena with a smile.

"Oh, but it is, Miss Serena. School starts soon and Miss Serena must be ready. Miss Serena is always kind to Mina, so Mina takes good care of Miss Serena." The House Elf folded her arms and nodded vigorously. Mina had been Serena's House Elf since she arrived at Hogwart's, but the shy creature rarely made herself seen until recently.

Serena had given Mina a scarf several months ago, ostensibly freeing the House Elf from servitude. She'd told Mina that she'd like her to stay, but Mina was free to leave Serena's service if she were ever unhappy. That didn't seem likely. Mina had been so touched by the gesture that she'd vowed to remain with Serena forever. When Hermione had heard about the scarf, she'd adamantly tried to involve Serena in her campaign to free all of the House Elves until Serena very firmly told her to drop the issue.

Serena looked around. The cottage was spotless and the wood positively gleamed. Mina had kept herself busy while she and Severus were away.

"I have something for you, Mina." Serena reached into one of her bags. "Actually, two things."

"Something? For Mina?"

"Thank you for taking care of the house while I was away."

The House Elf took the first bag and opened it. She pulled out a small apron, white and dotted with little green shamrocks.

"Oh!" gasped Mina. "An apron! Miss Serena has given Mina more clothes!" Mina looked up at her adoringly. "Mina has always wanted an apron."

Then the House Elf opened the other bag and squealed with delight. Inside was a box of toffee candies. "All the other House Elves will be jealous," she said. "Miss Serena has given Mina sweets, too!"

From the side, Severus watched the entire scene with one eyebrow raised. He had little use for the House Elves. One tidied up his flat in Slytherin House. It – he didn't know if it was male or female – was a servant of the school. He didn't mistreat the House Elf, but he didn't acknowledge the creature either. It occurred to him that once he and Serena were living together, that Mina would be part of the household. The House Elf was so enamored of Serena, that he doubted she would leave – ever – despite the fact she had her freedom.

"I was going to straighten up my office. May I walk you to Slytherin House?" asked Serena.

"You may."

Serena turned and then stopped as Mina gasped again. She realized the House Elf was staring at her hand. Gently, Mina reached out and took Serena's hand, lifting it and examining the ring on her finger.

"Miss Serena's shiny new ring is beautiful," said Mina. She looked up. "Mina knows this is a special ring. Has Professor Snape asked Miss Serena to marry him?"

"Yes, he has," smiled Serena.

"And Miss Serena has said yes?" asked Mina.

Now Serena did laugh. "Yes, Mina, I said yes."

Mina looked at the ring and nodded again. "Professor Snape has excellent taste."

"Why, thank you, Mina," he said, not quite sure if she meant the ring or Serena. "I'm so glad you approve." He couldn't hide all of the sarcasm in his voice and both Mina and Serena gave him a funny look.

As they walked towards Slytherin House, Serena looked over at Severus. "You're going to get that a lot over the next week you know," she said. "You know news on this campus spreads like a bloody wildfire. Everyone's going to hear about this in short order." She waved her ring-adorned hand at him.

"Doubtless."

"Be nice to them."

"If I must."

She shook her head. "Well, here's your first test…"

Up ahead, Serena spotted Professor McGonagall, Madame Hooch, and Madame Pomfrey, probably her three closest friends on the campus. McGonagall and Hooch shared Serena's love for Quidditch and Madame Pomfrey, the school's nurse, had helped save Serena's life last semester, and for that, Serena had a special fondness for the woman.

"Hullo!" said Serena with a wave.

"Serena. Severus." McGonagall gave them a smile. "Have you had a good summer break?"

"Very good," said Serena. "And you?"

"Excellent… Thundering dragon wings! Let me see your hand!"

Serena started to raise her right hand.

"Not that one, you cheeky creature!" said McGonagall. "The other one. With the ring."

"The ring?" said Hooch. "The RING?"

"My goodness!" gasped Pomfrey as Serena brought her hand up. "It's enormous."

Snape wanted to disappear. There were far too many women here who were going to be asking far too many questions in a matter of moments. _Get it over with, Severus, he said to himself. They'll be positively batty over this. Women get so caught up in things like weddings. The sooner they get their answers, the sooner they'll stop asking you questions._

"Lovely," said McGonagall. "Congratulations to the both of you."

They both murmured a thank you and then Serena said, "But before you ask any more questions: no, we haven't set a date or any of that. This just happened a few days ago. In fact, you three are the first to know."

_I adore you, thought Snape, seeing the opportunity Serena was handing him._ "If you ladies will excuse me, I need to check in on how Slytherin House is shaping up for the arriving students. I'm sure you have other questions for Serena, and I'm also certain her answers will be much more detailed than mine." He looked at Serena. "Dinner tonight at my flat?"

"I'll be there at 7:00," she said.

Severus disappeared down the hall at a rapid pace that was just shy of looking like he was running for his life. All four women watched him hurry around the corner and then began to laugh.

"Poor man," said Hooch. "There will be far too many questions for his taste over the next few weeks."

"Oh, bother that!" said Madame Pomfrey. "Do tell us how he proposed! I hope he was at least somewhat romantic…"

"He was," said Serena. "He was actually very romantic…"

Snape saw the Bloody Baron floating through the hall as he approached the door that would let him into the common room and dorms that made up Slytherin House. Coming down the hall the other way was Albus Dumbledore. His long fingers toyed absently at the ends of his white-grey beard.

"Ah, Severus," he said. "I see you're back from your jaunt to Ireland."

"We are. Have you had a good summer, Headmaster?" The small talk made Severus wince despite the fact that deep down he was fond of Dumbledore.

"Yes, yes," smiled Dumbledore. "But I'm looking forward to seeing the new students settle in."

_Well, thought Snape, I ought to tell at least one person…_ "Before you hear it from Professor McGonagall, I have a bit of an announcement."

Dumbledore peered over the rims of his glasses. "An announcement? This sounds serious. Don't tell me I'm losing my potions professor at the start of the year!"

"No," Severus replied quickly. "Nothing like that. While we were in Ireland I…" He stopped looking at the floor and looked the Headmaster square in the eye. "I asked Serena to marry me."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers together and smiled. "That's wonderful!" he said as his eyes sparkled. "I'm so pleased for the two of you. She said yes, of course?"

"Yes. She said yes. Only a few people know right now," said Severus. "You. Minerva. And Madams Hooch and Pomfrey know as well."

Several hours later, all of the teachers were comfortably ensconced at the head table in the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat finished selecting new students for Houses and everyone tore into the welcoming banquet. After the main meal cleared away, the students turned their attention to the Headmaster.

"What's going on now?" whispered a new Gryffindor student.

"For the first night, the Headmaster always makes a few announcements. Once he's done, we'll have dessert," whispered Ginny Weasley.

Dumbledore made a few routine announcements like the traditional warning to the new students to stay out of the forest. Then he paused and a mischievous grin quirked the corners of his mouth.

"Before we get to our delectable selection of desserts tonight, I do have one other announcement. Very excellent news for our staff," said Dumbledore. He peered over his glasses at Serena and Severus. Snape went pale, if that was possible, and looked at Serena. She mouthed the words: _I didn't ask him to do this…_

He gritted his teeth. Severus Snape was a very private man. He rarely expressed his feelings in public, and he jealously guarded his personal life. He didn't want a public announcement like this, but he realized that he hadn't specifically asked Dumbledore NOT to announce it.

The students murmured for a moment. Normally, the "exciting news" was the announcement of a new Defense Against Dark Arts Teacher, but they had all known last year that Serena would be back.

"I'm pleased to announce that Professors Castleton-Black and Professor Snape are engaged to be married." He began to applaud and after the momentary gasp from the students, they began to applaud, too.

Serena smiled and nodded her head. Next to her, Severus sat stiff and upright. Under the table she poked him in the leg, hard. He flinched and turned to her with an angry glance.

"Smile," she said in a hushed whisper. "You're supposed to be happy about this."

He turned back to face the students and managed a thin smile, about as big a smile as any of the students ever saw from him.

"Married?" said Ginny Weasley. "How exciting!"

"Professor Castleton-Black will be such a pretty bride," said Hermione. Several of the girls sitting near her nodded in agreement and there was a fuss and bother of romantic sighs from many of the teenaged girls. Further away, at the Slytherin table, the response wasn't so positive.

"He's going to… _marry_… her?" snorted Draco as if he'd smelled something foul. "How can any self-respecting Slytherin even date a Gryffindor, let alone MARRY her? And she might not even be a pureblood. Sickening." _My father will be interested in this Appalled, but interested..._

"Bloody incredible!" said Ron from his place at the Gryffindor table. "Snape? Married? I'd never have believed it."

"Then you obviously weren't paying attention last year," sighed Hermione.

"You're totally dense, Ron," added Ginny. "How could you miss how in love they are?"

"Snape never shows emotion," said Ron defensively. "And Professor Castleton-Black doesn't exactly share her bloody personal life with us…"

"You just have to look for the clues, Ron." Hermione rolled her eyes.

For a split second, there was silence at the Gryffindor table until Harry spoke up.

"So… Who's going to break the news to Wood?" he wondered out loud.

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_Okay, what do y'all think? These first few chapters are definitely some story set up… trust me, I've got something planned that's more than just the wedding and honeymoon. Please read/review!_


	4. An Ill Wind

**Disclaimer: **See chapter 1 and 2 for all disclaimers

**Many thanks to my Triumvirate of Muses…**

**Wyall Jared – **You won't have to wait long to see the Malfoys. Read on, my friend!

**Mercury Gray – **I like Ron. He is dense sometimes, but he means well. You may, however, need to work out a timeshare for Oliver with Evenstar Elanor but I trust you can both play nicely in the sandbox.

**Evenstar Elanor – **Did you think I would disappoint you and leave Oliver out? I would never! I was intending for McGonagall to sound slightly out of character (which I explained in my other email)… sometimes something that shocks you makes you say unexpected things.

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**Chapter 4: An Ill Wind **

The Malfoy mansion was hidden from Muggle eyes in the Knightsbridge area of London. It was a large manor, too large – really – for a family of three, but the prestige it brought was worth the extra space and the dozens of rooms that went unused. Lucius Malfoy was an important and well-connected man and he made certain people knew it.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's parents, were wealthy and influential in wizarding circles. Lucius was well-versed in the Dark Arts but made sure not to flaunt it. That would bring too much attention and to accomplish what he wanted, he needed to be subtle. Lucius' younger brother, however, was another story. Flamboyant and impulsive were two of Malificus Malfoy's key qualities and the ones that got him into trouble quite frequently.

The trouble from earlier in the year wasn't so easily swept under the rug. Malificus had tried to drain Serena Castleton-Black of her magical power by encasing her in a Dominatus Crystal. Severus had broken the spell and it had recoiled on Malificus. He was still in St. Mungo's Hospital for magical maladies.

Lucius thought his brother to be an unfocused, spoiled playboy, but he was his brother nonetheless, and the eldest Malfoy had promised himself that Serena would pay the price for her interference and the harm she'd done to his family.

The flutter of wings announced an owl post arriving and a moment later a piece of parchment sealed with a drop of embossed wax shot in through the mail slot. Narcissa picked it up, unfurled the scroll and scanned it. Lucius looked up from the book he was reading and waited expectantly for his wife

"It's a note from Draco. He says that Severus Snape is going to _MARRY_ that Castleton-Black creature…"

"Really?" There was a purr in Lucius' voice that wasn't lost on Narcissa.

"Lucius?"

"Nothing to fret over, my dear. This just presents an opportunity that I don't think I can pass up. An opportunity for a small bit of payback. What else does he say?"

"Not a great deal," she answered. "He says that Dumbledore announced it at the first dinner, and that he thought we would want to know. That you might find the news… useful."

Lucius nodded absently, pleased with his son's perception of the possible opportunity as he sat down for dinner. The quiet scrape of silver on fine bone china was the loudest noise at the dinner table. Once the meal was cleared by a scurrying House Elf, Lucius dabbed a linen napkin against his lips. A snap of his fingers brought the Elf running with his cloak.

"I'm going to take care of some business this evening, Narcissa. I should be back within a few hours."

Narcissa gave her husband a kiss on the cheek. "I'll wait up for you," she said. He disappeared out the front door and Narcissa watched him walk down the front steps of the mansion. His long silky blond hair floated over the back of his cloak.

_I used to watch Malificus leave like this… _She had – quite unexpectedly – found that she missed her rendezvous with her brother-in-law after his accident that summer. It wasn't that she didn't love her husband, but Narcissa also loved the danger, and Malificus was quite an energetic lover.

Across town, at St. Mungo's, Lucius tapped his fingers impatiently on the top of his walking stick. He looked down at Malificus as he lay unmoving on the bed. Except for the puckered, scarred hand print on his face, his brother didn't look any different. Finally, the private physician Lucius had hired walked in.

"I hope you haven't been waiting long…"

"Just wake him and get out."

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, but…"

Lucius ran his finger over the silver snake-head cap on the end of his walking stick. "How is your brother, Doctor? That was such an unfortunate… accident… that he had."

The little color in the doctor's cheeks drained away. "He's much better. If it hadn't been for your assistance with getting him a room here at St. Mungo's, he would have died."

"Think nothing of it. I'm just glad I could help. It is such a devastating blow when tragedy befalls a family, and so random too. You never know when an accident might happen."

"No," said the doctor softly, "you don't. I'll wake your brother for you." The doctor swished his wand over a vial of pale yellow liquid. After the spell, the liquid began to pop and fizzle and the doctor poured it into Malificus' mouth.

"He should be awake in a few moments," said the doctor and before Lucius could say anything, he hurried out of the room. Lucius' smile was lazy; how he enjoyed having that kind of power over someone. To know he could make someone do whatever he wanted fired his blood. _I'm glad Narcissa said she'd wait up for me tonight…_

A squeak of bedsprings made him turn back to the bed. Malificus sat up slowly, glanced at his brother and then out the window at the night sky. He slowly ran his fingers over the ravaged skin of his face. There was an odd coldness to the skin. _That bitch disfigured me…_

"How long has it been?" he asked. Lucius didn't look any older.

"Only a few months."

"Tell me, Lucius, is it time for me to pay the piper? Are you taking me to the Dark Lord?"

"No, not yet," said his brother. "I have a little bit of revenge in mind first."

"Serena?"

"In part, yes. I'm more interested in Severus Snape. He's finally crossed the line. If he thinks he can leave the Death Eaters so easily, he is bloody well mistaken."

"He's leaving the Death Eaters?" Malificus chuckled. "I didn't think that was possible."

"It isn't." Lucius' voice was sharp.

"So, what punishment do you have in mind? And how does Serena figure in?"

Lucius was silent. Even now, Malificus couldn't keep Serena out of his thoughts. He turned around with a cold smile. Tapping his younger brother on the chest with his walking stick, he said, "They're getting married, you know."

"Who is?"

"Severus and Serena, you oaf."

"What! Married? You're lying to me." Malificus' eyes flashed.

"Not this time," laughed Lucius. "Draco sent a note home today. Dumbledore announced it at dinner tonight."

"She's going to marry that cretin?" Malificus was appalled.

"Well, you didn't think she was going to marry you, do you? Bloody hell, Malificus, you couldn't even get the little slattern to sleep with you!"

Malificus came off the edge of the bed fast. Faster than Lucius anticipated, but it wasn't fast enough. In an instant, he drew his wand out from where it was concealed in his walking stick and cursed his brother with nothing less than the Imperius Curse.

"What are you doing…?" Malificus'

"Silence!" snapped Lucius. "We have an opportunity here, and I don't trust you not to get distracted with Castleton-Black. Working under the Imperius Curse will ensure you stick to the plan."

Malificus glowered at his brother, unable to retort because of Lucius' command for silence. His brother raised his wand one more time.

"Veritas malados."

There was a burning sensation in Malificus throat, tongue, and lips. It felt as if he'd eaten a dish made of nothing but hot peppers and curry.

"That," smiled Lucius, "is my own addition to the Imperius Curse. It will compel you to tell the truth when I ask you a question unless I've instructed you on how to answer. Now you'll say what I need you to say, rather than letting that impulsive tongue of yours run rampant. And if anyone checks, it will appear as if you're telling the truth. Come, we're going to stop at the manor to test the success of the spell and then we have an appointment at the Ministry of Magic."

Malificus followed his brother obediently out of the room, his impotent rage at his brother snarling deep down in his gut.

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_I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter. I promise much Malfoy mischief for Serena to contend with. Please read review…!_


	5. A BList Guest

**Disclaimer: See first few chapters for all disclaimers**

**Many thanks for the reviews…**

**Mercury Gray… **I'm glad your feelings for Malificus haven't changed.

**Evenstar Elanor… **Thanks for the feedback. I'll try to clarify some of Lucius' motivation in an upcoming chapter. He's not controlling his brother for no reason; he really thinks it is for the best.

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**Chapter 5: A "B-List" Guest**

"Is this a joke?" Remus Lupin held up the scroll that an owl had delivered not fifteen minutes before. Molly Weasley smiled, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Not according to Ron and Ginny," she said. "They said that Albus announced it on the first night of school. I'm just a wee bit surprised it is happening so soon. I mean, to get engaged in August and get married in November. Doesn't give one much time to plan." She continued to bustle around. Sulky from his confinement, Sirius Black had done little to keep his manor in tidy order, even with the House Elf that resided there.

When Molly and Arthur had arrived to meet with Remus, Sirius and Tonks about some Order of the Phoenix matters, she had been appalled and had immediately set about cleaning. Dust mops were winging their way about the manor, the dishes were being scrubbed in the sink and at least three mops were diligently scrubbing all possible places in Black Manor.

"Who's getting married?" asked Sirius as he strolled in.

"Serena and Severus. You know, Sirius, this place is an utter disaster. Clutter is one thing, but this is just filthy. I don't know how you can live like this…"

"Serena and… _SEVERUS?"_ Sirius Black sputtered. "You've got to be bloody kidding."

"I've got an invitation right here," said Remus. He gave the scroll a lazy wave.

"I haven't gotten _MY_ invitation." There was an insulting sneer in Sirius' voice.

"Oh, please," sighed Molly. "Sirius, dear, I don't think you'll be getting one…"

"But I'm her cousin," he retorted. Sirius was so tired of being cooped up in his manor that he would welcome going to a wedding – even if it was Severus Snape's wedding.

"Yes, you are." Molly's voice was patient, as if she were explaining something very simple to a small child. "You're also an insane murderer who escaped from Azkaban as far as everyone knows, and when you were a young man, you taunted and tormented Severus so badly I doubt your relationship could ever be repaired, and you even tried to trap him in a room with a werewolf. Even if you are Serena's very distant cousin, I hardly think you were on the 'must invite' list, Sirius."

Remus watched with a slightly wry smile as Sirius actually winced each time Molly pointed out a reason whyhe wouldn't be going to the wedding.

"She's absolutely right, and you've got no reason to sulk because you're not going. You don't like Severus and you hardly know Serena," said Tonks as she came in the room.

"And I suppose you're going, too," said Sirius.

"I'm Serena's maid of honor," the young Auror, who was now sporting electric green hair, said without a trace of smugness.

_Severus Snape getting married, thought Remus. Never thought I'd live to see the day. Never thought he'd find any one to put up with that waspish temper of his and that cutting tongue. But Serena is tougher than I first gave her credit for. She's a fighter and I don't think she'll have too much trouble handling his moods. _

Another thought occurred to him and Remus frowned for a moment. _Good heavens, he thought, I'm happy for Severus. I'm happy that he's found someone. Never thought I'd live to see the day when I was happy for Severus Snape either._

"What are you looking so surprised for?" asked Molly.

"Nothing," said Remus with a wave of his hand. "Nothing at all."

Although many had been surprised at how quickly the date for the wedding was set, Serena and Severus were not. Neither of them had wanted to wait long and quickly decided that a mid-November date was what they wanted. They'd wait for the school's winter break at Yule to have their official honeymoon.

With the date so close, Serena found herself enthralled in wedding plans despite the fact it was going to be a small ceremony. She and Severus only had a few disagreements over details, but the biggest one had probably been the guest list. Although he would have preferred to just elope, Severus knew Serena wanted a ceremony. Finally, they came to an agreement: it would be a small ceremony. There would be no children – no students – at the ceremony. The staff from Hogwart's would be invited. Remus Lupin would be there and so would Arthur and Molly Weasley. Serena had insisted on that after the help they'd given to rescue her from the Dominatus Crystal.

Severus was an only child and his parents had passed away years ago, so he had no family to invite. Once he'd realized that a ceremony with guests was inevitable, he'd made a list of a few old school friends who he still kept in touch with. Serena was inviting a few school friends. She was also inviting her Aunt Kerry, the only member of the Castleton-Black family who hadn't disowned Serena's mother when she got pregnant.

And while she wouldn't have minded inviting her distant cousin, Sirius Black, Serena had never even mentioned the possibility to Severus. She knew very well how her future husband felt about him. Sirius was definitely a "b-list" guest. All in all, it looked as though there would be about 40 people at the ceremony and reception.

As they sat eating a quiet dinner, Serena lost herself in thought over the wedding until Severus spoke up.

"I'd like Jeremy Thorne to perform the ceremony," said Severus.

"Who's Jeremy Thorne?" asked Serena.

"After I graduated from Hogwart's I spent some time studying with the Potions Masters near Athens for six months. Jeremy was one of the teachers and the man who served as my mentor. He's a very talented man, not only is he a Potions Master, he's officiating clergy, and he's also a fully accredited barrister. We keep in touch from time to time." There was a note of admiration in his voice, and it took a lot to impress Severus Snape.

"That would be lovely," said Serena. Severus had left most of the decisions about the wedding to Serena, so she was glad to hear him say that he felt strongly about choosing the clergy for the ceremony.

"I'll send an owl in the morning. Have you had any luck finding a dress?"

"I have. Tonks and I went to a little village outside of Southampton and found a delightful little shop." They had also found a maid of honor dress for Tonks at the same shop.

Snape watched her with a raised eyebrow. "Well?"

"I don't think so," she snorted. "The groom does NOT get to see the wedding dress before the wedding!"

An hour later, Serena went to the Gryffindor Common Room. As a treat for the students, Professor McGonagall had set up a magical portal to let them all watch one of Oliver Wood's Quidditch games as part of the Puddlemere United team. Wood had graduated the year before from Hogwart's and had been recruited to the team.

The game was about half over by the time Serena arrived and Oliver wasn't doing well. He'd already let four goals happen and while Serena watched, two more got by him in quick succession.

"Come on, Wood!" she shouted at the portal. It took all her effort not to curse, but the students were there, so she bit her tongue. "Get centered on your game! You've got to focus, lad. Focus on the game!" _Bloody hell, Serena thought. Oliver's forgotten how to play bloody Quidditch. Something's got his knickers twisted and he'd best get over it or he'll get pulled from the game…_

"What's his problem?" asked Seamus Finnegan. "Wood's better than that!"

"Well, professional Quidditch is a lot different than Quidditch at Hogwart's," said Ginny in Oliver's defense.

"He got the note," whispered Harry so almost no one else could hear.

"He what?" whispered Hermione.

"The note. About Professor Castleton-Black getting married. I bet he got the note."

Hermione and Ron both said, 'oh,' under their breath and turned back to the screen just in time to see a despondent Oliver being ordered off the field by an incensed Puddlemere coach.

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_A bit of a transition chapter. I tried to fit a lot on and I'm not sure how content I am with it. But I don't want to force it to be something it isn't, so I thought it wiser to stop fussing with it. Hope you enjoy… please read/review and let me know what you think…_


	6. Castlebann Resurrected

**Disclaimer: See chapters 1 and 2 for full disclaimers**

**Many thanks to…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **I don't doubt you'll be there to comfort Oliver. With any luck he might show up again. (wink)

**Wyall Jared… **I do hope you'll like the wedding once we get there.

**Mercury Gray… **I'll see what I can do for Oliver (if Evenstar Elanor can control herself…!)

* * *

**Chapter 6: Castlebann Resurrected**

Severus knew October was going to be a difficult month. Between the wedding, teaching her classes, and stepping into her new role as assistant coach for the Quidditch teams, Serena was driving herself relentlessly. Severus kept a careful eye on her, knowing that the anniversary of Castlebann was imminent. He'd woken up a few times this week to her tossing and turning and murmuring in her sleep, but so far, she hadn't had any full-blown nightmares. He hoped the trend continued.

His own classes were keeping him occupied as well, and over the past few days his students had been quite fractious. Today, he had handed out several detentions and was in a foul mood. He'd planned to have a quiet dinner with Serena. They hadn't really seen each other for several days because of conflicting schedules, and she had offered to cook him dinner. Now he had to baby-sit those little wretches.

Serena knew something was wrong as soon as she saw Severus. There was a crease in his forehead that he always got when he was irritated. She glanced around, and seeing no students, she gently reached up and ran her fingertips across his forehead. He blinked in surprise.

"What has you vexed?" she asked. "I know that expression."

"I have multiple detentions to attend to tonight," he growled.

"Oh… so we won't be able to have dinner?" Serena tried not to sound disappointed.

"Not unless you mind eating late."

"Doesn't bother me," she smiled. "More time to cook."

He let a small smile curl the corner of his mouth. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Ah, you can make it up to me another day," she said. "Besides, you need to keep those unruly students in line."

A few hours later, dinner was cut, diced, spiced and simmering on the stove. Serena checked the Irish stew once more before she curled up in her favorite chair with a book. She had two hours for it to cook before Serverus would be finished with detention and she lost herself in the pages of her novel for nearly the full time. It was a wonderful indulgence that she hadn't allowed herself recently.

A sudden, violent banging on her door tore her away from the crisp pages. Silence followed for a moment and then the banging thundered again.

"Enough! What's the bloody alarm about?" she asked as she threw the front door open. She couldn't believe her eyes. Outside was a face she knew, but hadn't seen in many, many years. Dumbstruck, Serena simply stood there as her grandfather, Bernard Abercrombie Castleton-Black, stormed into the room.

He was tall and broad shouldered. His white hair was combed back and Serena had no trouble picturing it as the raven black it had been when he was a young man. He wore his moustache and beard neat and closely trimmed.

"What are you doing here?" she finally blurted out.

Bernard turned slowly after looking at Serena's cottage with some disdain, as if he were in the servants' quarters. "You should be answering the questions. Just what do you think you're doing?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Running off and just getting married to some inconsequential oaf? What are you trying to do to the family?"

"What did you just say?" Her grandfather's appearance and vehement attack caught Serena off guard. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You heard exactly what I said. Now explain yourself."

"Explain myself? Explain myself! I'll do nothing of the sort. Who do you think you are barging in here and demanding anything from me?" Her temper finally overcame her astonishment.

"I am the patriarch of the Castleton-Black family. We are one of the most admired wizarding families in all of Ireland, and it is very important who we choose to align ourselves with."

"And since when have my choices ever had a bearing on the family reputation?" She didn't hide the angry sarcasm in her voice.

"Since you've chosen to align yourself with this obscure potions teacher. Snip… Snope… whatever his name is. He is not worthy of being part of the Castleton-Black family."

"You don't even know Severus," she barked back. "He isn't a perfect man, I'll grant you that much, but he loves me and that is what really matters."

"Oh, yes, love conquers all." Bernard's snide voice slid through her like ice. "I tried to help your mother understand the importance of family and reputation, but she was a rebellious tart. It broke my heart when she walked out on the family. Denied me the chance to get to know you, my lovely granddaughter…"

"Bollocks!" shouted Serena. _If you hadn't thrown her out, my mother would have never been at Castlebann! Malificus Malfoy wouldn't have murdered here!_

"Your mother was very important to me…"

"You selfish bastard! How dare you claim to be a caring father? You didn't speak to my mother after she got pregnant with me unless it was to tell her how she'd ruined her life and your precious bloody reputation. You threw her out of your manor and out of your life. You cut her off without a cent, hoping she'd crawl back, begging for your forgiveness. Bloody hell, you didn't even come to her funeral!"

Severus arrived at the doorstep just in time to hear the final exchange. He stormed through the doorway and seemed to grow very large like some hooded cobra raised up to strike.

"I think it's time for you to leave!" he snarled. He stalked into the room and put himself between Serena and Bernard. For his part, Bernard looked Severus up and down slowly, evaluating him.

"Leave," repeated Severus. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at Bernard.

The older man scowled angrily. "You're not good enough for my granddaughter," he snarled.

"She seems to disagree." Severus took a step forward, still keeping his wand pointed directly at Bernard's chest.

"My granddaughter will see the error of her ways."

"She's not YOUR anything," snarled Severus.

"Oh, but she is yours then isn't she?" Bernard's eyes darted to Serena to see what she'd think of his comment.

"No," said Severus, "she belongs to herself. Now get out of this house before I throw you out."

"You wouldn't dare."

Severus took a menacing step forward, his wand still held out in front of him. His hand never once trembled and Bernard realized that Severus would, indeed, dare. He might have considered taking on Severus, or Serena, for Bernard was not an incompetent wizard, but with both of ready to duel with him this was surely a fight he couldn't win.

"Very well." Bernard turned and looked coldly at Serena. "Your mother was a slattern at best, and you're no better. If you want to make your life with a mongrel like him, that's your choice."

The words slid past Severus' regular defenses, cutting him where he was most vulnerable. "GET OUT!" he thundered. "You're not welcome in our home. Don't come back."

Bernard glared at them both and disappeared out of the cottage. Severus immediately turned to Serena; her face was a mixture of sadness and anger as she looked at the open door. He didn't say a thing; he just pulled Serena close to him. Folding her in his arms, he rested his chin on the top of her head as her shoulders began to shake.

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_Well, that's it for now. What did you think? Please read/review!_


	7. Dark Shadows

**Disclaimers: See Chapters 1 and 2 for who owns what.**

**Thank you for the reviews…**

You three seem to be my only reviewers for this story, and I do thank you for your constant feedback. I love hearing from you!

**Evenstar Elanor… **Good. Bernard was supposed to be disturbing. He didn't go to Hogwart's… He went to the equivalent school in Ireland – McCumhail Manor. I mention it briefly in "Thunderstruck." Bernard a self-important, domineering, and slightly misogynistic man, but I will tell you he's not in league with the Malfoys. As for Severus' self-doubt? Read on, my friend!

**Mercury Gray…** A "pissed off Potions Master" – yes, indeed, that would be Severus right now.

**Wyall Jared…** LOL. You don't mess with Severus Snape's honey!

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**Chapter 7: Dark Shadows**

It took Severus two hours to get Serena settled down after Bernard left. She had alternated between thundering rages and copious tears. She'd hardly touched her stew. After supper, Serena insisted quite curtly that she was just fine to do the dishes and while she did, Severus set the kettle on the stove and started brewing tea. As it started to steep, the smell of lemon drifted through the room. He strained the tea and added a small dollop of honey before handing the concoction to Serena.

"And what would this be?" she asked.

"Fresh lemon balm," he answered. "With chamomile flowers and spearmint leaves."

"All designed to calm the mind and sooth anxiety," she answered. She took a sip and rolled the tea across her tongue. The spearmint cooled the tartness of the lemon. "And it is quite lovely. Thank you."

She finished the one cup and Severus managed to ply her with a second one before Serena yawned. He smiled. "Off to bed with you," he said.

"Will you be staying?" she asked.

"If you'd like."

Serena nodded. "I would."

A short time later they were safely ensconced in Serena's bed. Serena's back was pushed up against Severus and the Potions Master had her wrapped in his arms. It was dreadfully hard to have let Serena go to sleep, and she had quite blatantly hinted that she was willing to put sleep off for a time, but Severus had reminded her that a bet was a bet.

After that, she'd said goodnight with a resigned sigh and finally drifted off. Severus had stayed awake until he heard her breathing deepen and slow, and only then did he let himself start to fall asleep. Then he woke with a start as Serena started to thrash in his arms.

"Too dark," she said softly, still wrapped in her nightmare. "Where is everyone? Mum? Mum?" She shouted as the thunder rolled through her dreams. "Don't you dare call him that…"

"Shhh," whispered Severus. "Shh. You're dreaming, luv. You're safe." He tightened his arms around her, knowing better than to wake her abruptly. He'd done that once and for a short time Serena didn't realize that she was awake. It was much better to allow her to come out of the nightmare herself, no matter how much the anguish in her voice troubled him.

Serena called out a few more times and then seemed to relax again. Severus slid his arm out from under her head and quietly got out of the bed. He could have just summoned a glass of water, but instead he walked silently into the kitchen. He wore only a pair of sleeping trousers and the feel of the cool tiles on his bare feet helped focus his thoughts.

After his drink he sat down on one of the kitchen stools and looked out at the moon through the kitchen window. It was merely a sickle tonight, a silvery grin in the night sky. Serena had always said the moon looked like a seductive smile when it was like this. Tonight, Severus thought it looked more like a mocking grin.

It was almost Samhain and he and Serena would be getting married in two weeks. Unwanted and unwelcome, Bernard's voice melted out of the dark shadows of the room. _Not good enough for my granddaughter… Mongrel… _Then Severus' own self-doubt began to add more._ Inadequate… Worthless… Liar… Betrayer… Death Eater… _

Severus ground his teeth together. He'd vowed to himself that he would ignore the biting comments from Bernard, that he would not torment himself with self-doubt and loathing, but alone in the dark confines of the night, the words and the doubts surrounded him, making his skin cold where they touched.

"What if he's right?" whispered Severus, unable to keep from being drawn down into the abyss. "What if I'm not good enough for her? I love her so much… I didn't think I could love anyone like this. When will she discover I'm not the man she thinks? She'll learn to hate me and then she'll leave me…"

_Stop! another voice called in his head. She heard the truth about you being a Death Eater and she came back to you. She loves you for who you are. Don't destroy this!_

"Severus?" Serena called out from the bedroom. "Severus?"

He turned his back on the shadows and went back to the bedroom. "I was just getting a drink of water," he said quietly. Serena curled up with him as he slid under the covers, pressing her cheek against his bare chest. He could feel her eyelashes tickle as her eyes fluttered closed.

"I like it when you're here…" she murmured, falling back asleep almost immediately.

Severus felt the sting of bitter tears in his eyes but he rapidly blinked them away.

* * *

_Well, do tell! What do you think?_


	8. Wine and Good Friends

**Disclaimer: See chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **Glad I could arouse some sympathy for Severus in you – you're a tough customer. Samhain is the anniversary of Serena's mother's death… it is from the first story. Was just trying to connect one tale to the other.

**Mercury Gray… **Glad you liked it. A little fluff every now and again is good for the soul. It builds character (did that sound convincing? LOL. )

* * *

**Chapter 8: Wine and Good Friends**

It was the night before her wedding and Serena was at her cottage with Tonks. She was in the kitchen making tea when she heard a soft knock on the door. Serena, who was still wary from her unexpected visit from Bernard, looked at it cautiously.

"You keep with the tea. We'll need that in the morning," said Tonks with a wave of her hand. "I'll get the door."

Serena smiled. She and Tonks had planned to have a quiet "girls' night" together the night before the wedding. They'd started with dinner and from there indulged in some of Serena's now-famous (or infamous) raspberry butter wine. Once the wine had opened, the conversation had turned considerably bawdy.

Tonks opened the door slowly to find an older woman standing there with a bag in her hand. She was tall and had a regal, aristocratic look, but without the aloofness that so often accompanied a privileged life.

"Can I help you?" said Tonks.

"I'm sorry," said the woman. There was a soft Irish lilt to her voice. "I must have the wrong cottage. I'm looking for Serena Castleton-Black…"

"Aunt Kerry!" cried Serena as she rushed over. "You made it!"

"Och, darlin'!" said Kerry wrapping her in a hug. "Do you think I'd miss your wedding? Never."

"Tonks, this is Kerry Castleton-Black, my absolute favorite aunt."

The two women shook hands and Serena ushered Kerry in to the living room. "Have a seat," she said. "I was just finishing some peppermint tea so it will steep overnight and be ready for the morning."

"Expecting an unsettled stomach?" teased her aunt.

"You never know," smiled Serena.

"Glass of wine?" offered Tonks. "It is Serena's own brew."

"Oh, I'd love one." As Tonks poured, Kerry looked over at Serena. "I heard your grandfather paid you a visit."

The bride-to-be's face darkened. "If you could call it that."

"Well he was in fine form the next time he saw me. Told me it was all my fault because I'd encouraged your mother to follow her own dreams, and I wouldn't cut her out of my life when she was pregnant, and I continued to support you when you were in school…" She downed a swig of wine. "Useless git. He's an ignorant, selfish bastard."

Serena couldn't help but smile.

"Good for you for standing up to him. And I hear your soon-to-be husband threw him out on his ear, too," continued Kerry without so much as a breath.

Serena's smile widened. "He did."

"I like the man already."

"Aunt Kerry, I just adore you," said Serena.

"Of course you do. Now stop fussing with your tea and come sit down. What did I interrupt when I arrived? I heard some pretty raucous laughter as I came up the walk."

Tonks unexpectedly turned scarlet and a wicked grin spread over Serena's face. "Well, we were talking about former lovers," said Serena. "A bit of a girls' kiss and tell session."

"Oh! Well, dinna stop on my account!" Kerry's laugh was full and hearty. "I trust you have some delightfully wicked ideas for the wedding night?"

Serena managed to blush while peals of laughter tore out of Tonks until the young Auror was practically snorting.

"Well," said Serena in an effort to explain, "I was teasing Severus a few weeks ago. I told him that in the spirit of wedding tradition I thought we should avoid any shagging until our wedding night. He thought I was out of my bloody mind."

"Which you are," said Tonks.

"Then, of course, I saw it as a challenge, and I told him if he didn't think he have the fortitude to stick it out for nearly three weeks, I wouldn't make an issue out of it, but I thought it would make our wedding night that much more exciting."

Kerry was shaking her head. "And what did he have to say to that, you cheeky monkey?"

"He just looked at me with a very calm expression and said, 'I'm a potions master, my dear. I can be a very, very patient man.'"

There was silence in the room as Serena took a drink out of her wine glass. "You would think I'd have learned by now not to make bets with him. I lose miserably when I do."

"So, he's been a perfect gentleman, I take it?" asked Kerry.

At that point, Serena's confounded face made Tonks disintegrate into a howling laugh again. "That's the best part," said Tonks as she gasped for air. "He's been a bloody terrible tease to her ever sense! He's even gone so far as to flirt with her in front of me, and Severus Snape simply does not show a lot of affection in front of other people. Serena has been beside herself for weeks now… All randy and ready for a romp, and bloody nothing she can do about it."

Serena's arms were folded. "It really isn't all that funny, you know," she muttered.

"Yes, it is," roared Tonks. "Severus doesn't realize it, but he's going to be taking a tigress to bed tomorrow night. He's won the bet, but he has no idea what he's won for a prize…!"

Now Kerry was laughing so hard she had tears in here eyes.

"You're both supposed to be my friends." Serena gave them an exaggerated look of exasperation.

"You've made your own bed, dear," said Kerry. "Now you'll have to lie in it."

"And you'll like it!" howled Tonks.

The three women stayed up late and laughed a great deal, and Aunt Kerry put them both to shame with her own set if risqué stories and jokes. Shortly after she left, both Tonks and Serena turned in. Curling into the guest bed, Tonks drifted to sleep almost immediately. Serena, in her bedroom, sat cross-legged on the bed for a minute and looked around. At this time tomorrow, she'd be here with Severus. It would be their bed, not just hers.

Pulling the covers up, Serena fluffed her pillow, and settled down, still laughing at the memory. _I'm glad the wedding's tomorrow, she thought. Severus might have the patience of a potion master, but I don't._

It took very little time for Serena to fall sleep, and part way through the night, she began to dream.

_Serena and Severus were dancing in a field. It was bright, sunny. There were people there, but they were in the distance. Serena couldn't hear any music, but Severus was leading with his usual confidence. _

_Suddenly, the sky soured, turning an ugly shade of murky grey with angry red lines, like flaring scars. A harsh wind picked up and the temperature dropped, chilling Serena down to her bones._

"_What's happening, Severus? Where did the sun go?" she asked._

"_I don't know…"_

_He never finished his sentence. There was a crack thunder that shook the very earth and the clouds swirled. The darkness grew more pronounced, more oppressive. The darkness took on a vague form, something that terrified Serena. She started screaming as the darkness reached down and grabbed Severus. She watched as Severus was ripped away from her and into the darkness._

"_Severus!" she screamed. "Severus!"_

_For a moment, she thought she heard her name and then there was a scream, a scream of fear, terror, loathing, and pain…_

Serena was sitting up in the bed, her face covered by her hands. Even from the doorway, Tonks could see that she was shaking. Running over, Tonks put her arms around Serena.

"What happened?" she asked. "What's wrong, Serena."

"There were shadows. It was cold. Very cold. Severus was wrapped up in the dark cocoon and they pulled him into the sky. They stole him, Tonks, and I knew – I just knew – I'd never get him back!"

"It was a dream, that's all. You're just nervous about tomorrow. Everything will be fine."

Serena took a deep breath and composed herself. "You're right," she said with a shaky laugh. "All my bad dreams are about things that happened in the past… I don't think I've ever had a bad dream about Severus before this. It must be because I'm nervous. I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Ah," said Tonks with a shake of her hand. "Nary a worry. Now you go back to sleep. No puffy eyes for you tomorrow."

Serena smiled. "Who am I to argue?" She settled back down into the bed and closed her eyes. At the doorway, Tonks stopped and looked back, a worried frown on her face.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed… Please let me know what you think!_


	9. Solitary Stag

**Disclaimers: **Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers

**Thank you…**

**Mercury Gray… **So you like Tonks smashed? I had a good time writing her a little tipsy.

**Evenstar Elanor… **"Perfectly hilarious." Why thank you!

**Wyall Jared… **The wedding is just about here, but you'll need a wee bit more patience, my friend.

* * *

**Chapter 9: Solitary Stag**

Severus came out of Slytherin House and pulled his cloak up around his ears to ward off the cold fall wind. Jeremy Thorne smiled and extended his hand.

"It's good to see you Severus. I'm delighted you asked me to officiate your wedding," he said as they shook hands. His long white beard wagged as he spoke. "Albus will be along in a moment."

"Albus?"

"Oh. I visited with the Headmaster for a time before I came here. I told him I was taking you out for a drink and invited him to join us. I didn't think it would be a problem…"

"No," said Severus even though he didn't mean it. "It isn't a problem. Just unexpected."

"Oh, good." Jeremy sounded relieved. "This isn't a proper send-off before your wedding, but…"

Severus narrowed his eyes. The last thing he wanted was to be out with a bunch of virtual strangers all toasting his future happiness. He would have been quite happy to stay home by himself and read a book. Jeremy read the look instantly.

"Don't worry Severus. There are no surprises waiting for you."

Severus managed a grumbled, 'good,' and a few moments later, Dumbledore arrived. They vanished, reappearing Hogsmeade, and made their way to Madame Rosmerta's. Knowing what the next day would bring, Rosmerta brought them a round of FireWiskey on the house and wished Severus well. He replied with a terse thank you.

After a time, however, he lost himself in the conversation at the table. It had been a long time since he had spent any time with Jeremy and realized he'd missed the sharp intellectual debates they'd shared. Adding Dumbledore's keen wit to the mix only improved the repartee. They talked about teaching and the newest insights into potion making and even in divination, although that was a subject Severus had little interest in. The perspectives Jeremy offered challenged how he thought and he was willing to challenge them right back.

Finally, Jeremy asked, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

"About tomorrow? No," answered Severus.

"And what about the day after that?" Jeremy steepled his fingers and watched. A flicker of insecurity flickered across Severus' face and he covered it immediately, but both Jeremy and Dumbledore saw it.

"You'll be fine," said Jeremy. "I've yet to join a wizard and a witch together who weren't a little nervous going in. You both seem to understand each other, and you're obviously in love. You'll be fine."

"I'm sure we will be…" The skin around Severus' eyes wrinkled.

"Not obvious in that you're wearing your heart on your sleeve, as they say," interrupted Dumbledore, "but if one watches carefully, you can see how you both feel about each other."

"Egads," said Jeremy. "Look at the hour. We'd best get the bridegroom back home. He needs some sleep before the big day."

They thanked Rosmerta for her hospitality and headed out the door. They reached the little inn where Jeremy was staying first, and then Severus and Dumbledore walked back to Hogwart's together. They reached the stairs that lead to Slytherin House and Snape turned to face Dumbledore.

"Thank you for joining us tonight, Headmaster. I… enjoyed myself."

Dumbledore put his hand on Snape's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I know it's been hard for you, Severus. Learning to trust enough to offer your heart to someone takes a great leap of faith."

Severus looked at his shoes, up at the stars, anywhere but at Dumbledore lest the Headmaster see the worry swimming in his eyes. Albus squeezed his shoulder again.

"Always remember how much you love Serena and how much she loves you. You know it's true, right in here," said Dumbledore as he tapped his finger on Severus' chest, just over where his heart was. "If you can feel that love in there, it will carry you through darker times than you can ever imagine. It will keep you afloat, Severus. It will save your sanity and your soul. Remember that."

Unable to look away any longer, Severus looked up and watched the Headmaster walk away into the night.

* * *

_Well… it has been away since the last chapter. Sorry for the delay! We have been CRAZY BUSY at work these past few weeks. Another week and our big project will be over… for now. Please read and review and let me know what you think!_


	10. A Dagger in the Back

**Disclaimer: **Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for full disclaimers.

**Many, many thanks…**

**Wyall Jared…** Giving you chills? Delighted to hear it. I promise you'll get wedding stuff in the next chapter. Cross my heart!

**Evenstar Elanor…** Oops. You caught me in that one. I'll now go stand in the corner and take a time out!

* * *

**Chapter 10: A Dagger in the Back**

While Serena and Tonks were reduced to shrieking laughter by one of Aunt Kerry's exceedingly blue stories, and Severus was being toasted by Albus and Jeremy, Lucius Malfoy had just finished telling his wife about his new modification to the Imperius Curse. Next to him, Malificus sat as his brother's living guinea pig.

"Why on earth would you do something like that?" asked Narcissa. "He's been in the hospital! He's your brother!"

Lucius looked at Malificus and saw the fury in his brother's eyes, and for a moment a pang of guilt lanced him. "I'm not doing this to be cruel," Lucius said. "We have an opportunity here to finally help the Dark Lord return o this plane of existence. I have a plan that will keep everyone's attention away from us and it all hinges on our dear friend Severus Snape."

"Severus?" Narcissa wasn't certain where her husband was going with this.

Lucius smile turned sly and cold. "Don't fret over the details, my dear. Leave those to me. Malificus plays a tremendous role in this plan, and it will also be a delicious bit of payback for Serena for what she did to him." He gestured at Malificus' scarred and disfigured face. "But I have to make sure that Malificus' passions don't get the better of him."

Lucius turned and looked at his brother. "You just don't think clearly around Serena. I need to be sure that you'll do and say exactly what I need. Once the Death Eaters are back in power, I'll release you from the Curse."

"And how do you know this will work? Spell modifications are often touchy and unpredictable…" Narcissa had an uneasy feeling about this.

Lucius went to his brother and said, "When I ask you about Fudge, you'll answer that he's a good man and an asset to the Ministry."

"Tell me, Malificus, what do you think of Cornelius Fudge?" asked Lucius.

In truth, Malificus thought Fudge was a little sot with no backbone and less talent, and Lucius could see the struggle in his brother's eyes as Malificus tried his best to say that he despised Fudge for his weakens… to prove that Lucius didn't control him. In the end, Malificus lost.

"He's a good man," he said confidently. "An asset to the position."

From where she stood in the room, Narcissa raised her eyebrows. More than once she'd heard Malificus rant about Fudge's ineptitude as Minister. She raised her wand.

"Veritas," she ordered, thinking she would break whatever spell her husband had placed on Malificus.

"Minister Fudge is a good man," repeated Malificus. "I wholeheartedly disagree with those buffoons who are upset about how he handled that whole affair with the Goblins." Inside he was screaming; he didn't believe anything he was saying.

Lucius was delighted with the results of his addition to the Imperius Curse. His plan would work out quite nicely, and while he used Malificus as a marionette to keep everyone occupied, the Dark Lord would finally be able to return in his corporeal form.

"Excellent," purred Lucius, and then he thought, _it will probably be wise to see exactly how much I need to coach him before we get too deeply enmeshed in my plan..._

Then he decided to try an impromptu test on a topic he had not prepped Malificus for, just to see how his brother would react to an unexpected question. "And what do you think of my wife?"

As the question fell through the air, Narcissa froze.

Malificus struggled to say something benign and diversionary and failed miserably. "She's a bloody fabulous shag," he said.

Lucius' face turned to stone. "What did you just say?" He felt all of the blood in his body turn to ice.

"He's obviously deranged," interrupted Narcissa. "Whatever spell you put on him has unbalanced what was left of his mind!"

"Silence!" hissed Lucius. He turned to stare at his brother, a snarl curling the corner of his mouth. _He couldn't have possibly said what I think he just said…_

"She's a great shag," repeated Malificus with the sudden realization that he had a small iota of power left.

Lucius slowly turned away from his brother and looked at his wife. "I believe you owe me an explanation, Narcissa."

"Lucius…"

His hand shot out as he grabbed Narcissa by the throat. She gasped and clawed in vain against the crushing pressure. Malificus stepped forward only to be halted by a sharp command from Lucius.

"How long has this been going on, Narcissa?" her husband asked. His grip was so tight all she could manage was a hoarse gurgle; he loosened his hand just enough to allow her the smallest bit of air.

"A while…" she rasped.

"How long!" he thundered.

"Years," said Malificus with more than a little enthusiasm.

"Years? _Years?_ How many years?"

In his heart, Malificus couldn't help but gloat. This might mean his life, but even under his magical constraints, he could still strike his brother. "Since just after your second wedding anniversary," he said with a malicious smile. "Sixteen years."

Lucius ground his teeth together. He pulled Narcissa close to him, gripping her hair and forcing her head back. "You traitorous bitch. Is Draco even my son?"

"Yes! Yes, he is," said Narcissa in the strongest voice she could muster. "The affair started after he was born."

She thought back bitterly to those months after Draco was born. All Lucius could see was his precious first-born son; she became second rate, her purpose finished. She'd done everything she could think of to interest Lucius in her again, but for a time he hadn't paid her any attention. Then Malificus had come calling, telling her how beautiful she was, how sexy and desirable she was, and what a fool his brother was to not see that… Not long after she'd first slept with Malificus, Lucius desire for her rekindled, but by then she was addicted to the thrill of the affair.

With a hard shove, Lucius pushed Narcissa into Malificus. There was a raw red mark on her neck where he'd held her. Then he grabbed her hair again, pulling Narcissa back to him. Pressing himself into her back, he pulled her head back and grabbed her around the waist with his free arm, crushing her against him.

"Was my brother a better lover than I am?" he hissed over her shoulder and into her ear. "Was it him you wanted all these years?"

"No," said Narcissa, and it was the truth. "No, I want you. I've always wanted you."

"Then why?" demanded Lucius. _And why should I believe you?_

"After Draco was born, he made me feel beautiful… you didn't seem to want me. After that, it was the danger," she said softly. "The thrill of getting away with it."

Lucius looked at his brother. "And what about you?"

Forced to be truthful by his brother's spell, Malificus shrugged as he said, "To spite you. To spite my perfect elder brother who does everything right. To spit in your face for always making me feel like I wasn't as good as you. Narcissa is a pleasant enough romp, but I did it to hurt you, Lucius."

"And is Narcissa telling me the truth?"

"She is," answered Malificus. "She loved the danger, not me. The last time we were together she told me that she'd never leave you. She loves you… and she loves being Mrs. Lucius Malfoy."

Lucius twisted Narcissa around to face him. He slapped her hard and she gasped in shock. He had never struck her before. Ever. "So, you enjoy being Mrs. Lucius Malfoy? That's good. You're MY wife, Narcissa. You belong to me and I won't be made a fool of. You have a taste for dangerous games? Well, your little game has just broken through to the next level. Do not leave the manor… I'll be back to deal with you."

He released his hold on his wife. Narcissa turned and fled from the room as Lucius grabbed his brother by the arm. "As for you," he snarled, "I need you right now, but you'll pay for this, too."

Malificus knew the threat was real.

* * *

_Well, hope you liked this chapter (and I hope it surprised you just a little bit). Stay tuned for more… and please read/review!_


	11. Buttons

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1 and 2 for full disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **Glad you liked the motivation for the affair. People do things for different reasons and I wanted the affair to be more than just "he's hot and you ignored me."

**Wyall Jared… **You were surprised? Yay! This chapter will start to satisfy your craving for wedding stuff. Enjoy.

**Mercury Gray… **Yes, I'd say Lucius is just a wee bit steamed!

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**Chapter 11: Buttons**

The Saturday that Serena and Severus chose to exchange their vows dawned bright and crisp. The late fall air was chilly and there was a mist that clung to the trees in the morning. Tonks knew Serena would enjoy the view but she was sleeping, and she was content to let her friend stay that way. The wedding wasn't until the late afternoon and Tonks knew Serena could use the rest after the nightmare she'd had. Finally, nearly two hours later, Tonks woke Serena up.

"Come along, luv. Kerry will be here soon and you'll need to start getting dressed."

In his flat at Slytherin House, Severus had been up with the dawn. He'd slept more soundly than he expected and wondered how much his evening out had to do with that. He briefly inspected his suit for that afternoon. He'd said in no uncertain terms that he'd not be wearing a tuxedo of any kind.

Instead, he'd opted for a new frock coat, similar to the one he'd worn the first time he danced with Serena. This one, however, possessed a subtle touch of embroidery on the sleeve cuffs. His pants were the same material but without the embroidery. Rather they were fitted at the ankles. His banded collar shirt was a raw silk with ebony covers on the buttons. Everything looked in order. He had several hours to wait, so he sat down and opened a book.

Serena sat in an old button down shirt and looked in the mirror at her hair. She turned her head slowly from side to side. Her headpiece was a simple band of pearls that rested just in front of the crown of her head. Behind the headpiece, her hair had been pulled up and then loosely curled, so that her midnight locks fell past her shoulders in gentle curls.

"Happy with it?" asked Kerry. The wide smile on Serena's face was all the answer her aunt needed.

"Then off with you," said Tonks. "Its time to get that gown of yours on."

Serena stood up and gingerly touched her hair. She looked at Kerry again. "Thank you for coming, Aunt Kerry."

"Oh, dinna need to be thanking me," she laughed. "But I've got to be off and get myself ready. I'll see you at the ceremony." Kerry kissed her favorite niece on the cheek and hurried out of the house.

In her bedroom, Serena stepped into her dress and pulled the sleeves up to her shoulders. The dress had long sleeves and a scooped neck. There was a mix of embroidery and pearls on the neck, sleeve cuffs, and at the hem. The embroidery was in the pattern of moons and stars. The princess waist made her waist look even more slender than it was. The skirt was a flowing silk that flowed and swirled. Serena had chosen the dress partly because of the skirt – she knew how it would spin while she danced with Severus later that night.

"You're not going to button me by hand?" Serena turned slightly, showing the open back of her dress to her maid of honor. She batted her eyelashes.

Tonks rolled here eyes. "A bloody diva, that's what you are. If I button all those by hand you'll be getting married NEXT November." With a swish of her wand all of the buttons from the small of Serena's back up to the base of her neck clasped instantly. Serena let out an exaggerated sigh, goading her friend.

"Be careful what you wish for, dear," said Tonks. "Severus will probably unbutton them by hand, just to wring a final dram out of that bet of yours."

"Don't even think it," cried Serena, aghast at the idea.

"Come on." Tonks handed Serena her bouquet. "We've got to go, or you're going to be late."

The guests were all seated chatting with each other. When Dumbledore walked in with Severus they all moved forward to stand within the circle. Rows of chairs formed a circle with aisles running north to south and east to west. There was a large open center in the middle, and that's where Severus went to meet Jeremy. They shook hands and spoke softly for a few minutes.

"He looks pale," whispered Arthur Weasley.

"How can you tell?" asked Lupin.

"Not another word out of either one of you," warned Molly Weasley. Both men turned their attention back to the center of the circle, neither wanting to temp her wrath that day. The ringing of a silver and crystal bell danced through the air and the guests knew the bride had arrived.

* * *

_Well, for those of you waiting to get the wedding underway, hope you're happy with the start. Don't worry – there will be plenty more coming (wedding and more Malfoys!), I promise. Please read and review and let me know how this is going…_


	12. An Exchanging of Rings

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers.**

**Shout outs and other such notes of appreciation…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **Oliver will be back, I promise, but not until later in the story. He can't very well up and abandon his Quidditch team… that's probably the one thing Serena would NEVER forgive him for. Oh, and about the hair? Trust me. If you're getting trussed up in a wedding gown, I can pretty much guarantee you that you don't want to be in it while you're sitting in the hairdresser's chair. Not unless you want it to wrinkle like an accordion.

**Wyall Jared… **Brilliantly? blushes Why, thank you!

**Mercury Gray… **Yes, leave it to Arthur to be "Captain Obvious." Glad he and Molly make you smile! Get ready to throw your confetti!

* * *

**Chapter 12: An Exchanging of Rings**

All of the guests took their seats in anticipation. The Weasleys and Lupin sat near Minerva McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey. The music of the bell was augmented with a harp and Molly Weasley tapped her husband on the shoulder.

"Here comes Tonks," she whispered. "Oh, just look at her!"

The rest of the group was whispering the same thing. Tonks wore a simple silk dress that was a lovely teal color. A thin ribbon of darker teal went around her just below the bust line. Her hair, normally any number of exotic colors and styles, was a rich shade of chestnut brown and was done up in a simple bun… except for the one lock that hung down past her shoulder in a loose curl. That one piece of hair was the same color as her dress. Tonks walked slowly past the crowd and winked at Dumbledore. Then she turned and faced back down the aisle.

A moment later, Serena appeared. She paused at the end of the aisle and took a deep breath, and then she started to walk forward slowly. The skirt of her dress swirled as she walked.

"Oh, she's lovely," sighed Molly. "What a beautiful bride." She dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "I just love weddings. Imagine when our little Ginny walks down the aisle!" She sniffed loudly and blew her nose while her husband put his arm around her shoulder and gently hushed her. Next to Molly, Madame Pomfrey started to blink rapidly and McGonagall absently handed the nurse her own handkerchief.

Waiting in the center of the circle, Severus watched as Serena walked towards him. He tried not to let his mouth hang open. She was utterly gorgeous. He'd always thought she was beautiful, but to see her in her wedding gown with that radiant smile… nothing he had imagined had even come close to how she looked at that very moment. And she was walking down that long aisle to meet to him, coming to be with _him._ She was going to be his wife. When she reached him, Serena smiled at Severus and all he could manage was to stare back at her. Then she handed her bouquet of lavender and roses to Tonks.

"Handfasting is a time honored tradition in the magical world," said Jeremy after allowing them a fleeting moment to look at each other. "When it first began, any couple intending to make a match would become handfasted for a year and a day. In that time, the couple would live together under the same roof and when the year and a day was over, they would decide to renew their vows. If they did, the next handfasting would last for seven years and after the seven years, they would renew their vows once more – if they chose to – and this time, it would be for the rest of their lives."

He paused for a moment and seemed to think. "Severus, Serena. Please. Stand before me and join hands." The two stepped closer to him. Severus took his fiancée's hands and gave them a squeeze.

"Before we begin the handfasting," continued Jeremy, "we must cleanse the circle. Tonks?"

Tonks stepped forward and picked up a clean new willow broom. She went to the east side of the circle and started walking widdershins around the circumference, sweeping as she went, until she came back to the point where she started. As she swept, Jeremy talked about how the circle is a representation of continuity, and how it shows the cyclical nature of life. He reminded everyone that ups lead to downs and on and on into eternity, and he talked of the importance of starting a life together with positive thoughts. When she came back to where she started, Jeremy thanked Tonks for cleansing the area of negative thoughts and feelings.

Jeremy raised his hands and a column of yellow light began to glow at the eastern point of the circle. "Serena and Severus," he said. "Within the realm of magic, the east represents clarity, understanding, and intellect. In the Light of the East, what say you to each other?"

Serena spoke first. "Without understanding, life can be dark, limiting and frightening. We will work hard to understand each other, to ask questions when we don't. We will work to offer the clarity we both need to allow our understanding of each other to flourish."

"Let it be so," said Severus.

"Let it be so," repeated the assembled guests.

The yellow light intensified for a moment and then faded to a pale yellow. As it did, Jeremy turned his attention to the southern most point of the circle and the column of light that blossomed there was a deep, rich red.

"The Light of the South is red, representing passion and transformation. In the Light of the South what would you say to each other?" Jeremy's voice was rich and lulling.

This time it was Severus' turn to speak. "We will keep the passion alive between us through all the days of our lives. We will support each other as we grow and transform with the years, and allow those transformations to be a reason that we fall in love with each other over and over again."

"Let it be so," said Serena with a smile.

"Let it be so," repeated the guests.

Serena smiled at her soon-to-be husband. _Halfway through, she thought._

"The element of the West is water," said Jeremy, "and the Light of the West is blue. Water represents emotions and feelings, but water is also a cleansing element." On the western side of the circle, a column of blue light began to glow. "In the Light of the West, what would you say to each other?"

The vows of the west fell to Serena. "Honest emotions are the key in any relationship," said Serena. "We will both work to be honest in our emotions, no matter what they are, and never forget to tell each other how we feel. And during those times when emotions boil and we are angry with each other, then we will remember that the element of water will help wash away resentment and let us see past the anger."

"Let it be so," said Severus.

"Let it be so," echoed everyone else. As they all turned to face the north, a column of dark green flowed up from the ground and into the air.

"And at last we come to the Light of the North, deep green like the forests of the world. The Earth is a foundation, our stability, our grounding. In the Light of the North, what would you say to each other?" Jeremy folded his hands in front of him and waited.

After a pause, Severus looked into Serena's eyes. "We will share ourselves and our secrets with each other, building trust and a strong foundation for the future. We will build a home together, and we will build a life together, and by doing so we will be stronger together than we ever would be apart."

"Let it be so," said Serena.

"Let it be so!" chorused all of their friends and family.

"You have stated your promises for the future to each other in front of family, friends, trusted confidants, and you have stated your promises before the directions and elements that are so important to our magical world. Now it is time for the two of you to exchange your rings."

Tonks stepped up and slipped a ring into Serena's hand; Dumbledore did the same for Severus.

"Serena, if you would begin please," said Jeremy.

She took Severus' left hand in hers and held the ring up with her other hand. "A ring has no beginning and no end, and therefore goes on forever. Severus, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion. Captured within the gold of the ring is a smoothed piece of obsidian, a stone that is part of the Earth and a symbol of the solid foundation we begin our lives from. Will you accept this gift and this promise from me?"

"I will," said Severus softly.

She slipped the ring onto his finger and then smiled up at him. For a moment, Severus was lost in her smile. _I do not deserve her, he thought. How can she look at me with such love? I am nothing, a little and bitter man… What could I have possibly done to earn her love?_

"Severus?" Jeremy's gentle reminder scattered his dark thoughts and Severus took Serena's hand.

"Serena, I offer you this ring as a symbol. It represents my devotion, my love. On the band there are engraved oak leaves. The oak's deep roots delve into the earth and little can uproot it once it has grown. I would have the oak as a symbol for us: a strong foundation beneath sheltering branches. Will you accept this gift and this promise from me?"

"I will," Serena said as Severus slipped the ring onto her finger.

"And so it is done! By the powers vested in me, I declare you husband and wife," said Jeremy. As he did, the columns of light expanded and encircled the group, the colors blending together into a vibrant, flowing mosaic. Then the colors parted again and each went back to the direction it came from.

Tonks and Dumbledore came forward and each took one end of the broom that Tonks had used to sweep the circle at the start of the ceremony. At the top of the aisle that led out of the circle, they cast a spell and the broom hovered horizontally about six inches off the ground.

"Serena, Severus… before your friends and family here today, you've exchanged promises and rings. You've declared your intent to join your lives together from this day forward. Go forth, leaping joyfully onto your new path together, and never forget what you have promised each other this day." Jeremy was smiling broadly as he recited the final part of the handfasting ceremony.

Hand in hand Serena and Severus walked up to the broom and jumped over it. All of the guests cheered and clapped. Severus caught Serena by the waist when they landed, lifted her a few inches from the ground and spun her around. As her feet touched the ground again he whispered in her ear, "I love you, Serena."

Then, for the very first time, Severus Snape kissed his wife.

* * *

_As always, deep appreciation to all of my readers, but especially to my "Three Musketeers" (or Three Muses sometimes…): Mercury, Evenstar, and Wyall… I know more people read than actually review, but I wanted you three to know that I really appreciate your constant reviews and encouragement. So please, keep the reviews and comments coming… and if there's anyone else out there who has been reading "Panther," I'd like to hear from you, too!_


	13. A Grand Celebration

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for disclaimers**

**Thank you muchly…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **I put you in a happy mood? Made you feel bubbly? Score one for me! (kidding!)

**Mercury Gray… **This is the second "brilliant" I've gotten on this story. Hope you can see the big, huge grin.

**Wyall Jared… **I trust "perfect" means I've fully satisfied your wedding craving? We've got the reception for this chapter and then the wedding night, so there is more to come!

* * *

**Chapter 13: A Grand Celebration**

After the ceremony, the wedding party and guests retired to the Great Hall at Hogwart's for the reception. Dumbledore had arranged to have the Great Hall appear smaller, just the right size for the reception, but of course with an expansive dance floor. The dinner was a succulent roast beef with all of the trimmings. There was plenty of food and drink, including Serena's favorite raspberry butter wine.

Dessert consisted of two courses. There was traditional wedding cake. The four tier confection had marzipan roses, ivy and lavender cascading down it. The buttercream frosting was combined with a raspberry jam between each layer. There were also baked apples stuffed with raisins and covered with a sticky, sweet brown sugar sauce.

Between the dinner and desserts, the first strains of a waltz lilted through the room. Severus stood and held his hand out for Serena. They stepped to the empty dance floor and took up their positions. Her left arm was on his shoulder and held high by Severus' right arm. He held her right hand outstretched. Counting the beats of the music he stepped off lightly. They spun around and around the room, pausing every now and then for a waltz pose. The guests all smiled as they watched them dance.

"If you'd bet me a hundred pounds, I would have never believed that Snape could do anything so gracefully," said Lupin as he took another swallow of wine.

Molly Weasley, who had been watching the waltz, didn't hear Lupin. She turned back to her husband and said, "It's just so terribly romantic." She sighed. Arthur heard the longing note in his wife's voice and frowned slightly, but at that moment, Severus and Serena paused in a waltz pose right in front of them. Serena, who was dipped back slightly with her head turned, winked at them and smiled.

After dessert finished, the dance floor opened for everyone to participate. Serena took a turn around the dance floor with Dumbledore, and then the music changed. Some ringing guitars clearly signaled that Tonks had gotten her hands on the play list. Severus frowned. He wasn't overly fond of too much modern music, although some of the bands Serena listened to had begun to grow on him. But there was no way he was dancing to any of this.

"Go on," said Severus, knowing that Serena wanted to keep dancing. Tonks practically carried the bride to the floor with a happy shout. As Severus watched his new wife doing some crazy version of "the twist" with Tonks, Arthur Weasley came to stand next to him.

"Congratulations, Severus," he said.

"Thank you, Arthur," replied Snape.

They were silent for a few minutes. Arthur rocked back and forth on his feet, slowly annoying Snape more and more. It was obvious the man had something on his mind.

"Can I help you?" asked Severus.

"Well, um… I, well, no… actually, yes," mumbled Arthur.

_Oh, out with it you complete prat, thought Snape._

"Teach me to dance," Arthur finally blurted out.

"I beg your pardon?" _He can't be bloody serious!_

"Teach me to dance. My anniversary is coming up and Molly would just be tickled if I could waltz her the way you do with Serena…"

Severus was about to flat out refuse when Dumbledore intervened.

"I think that's wonderful," said Albus. "I know Molly will be surprised. That's quite kind of you to give Arthur lessons, Severus."

Severus glared at Dumbledore and the Headmaster chose to ignore him. "Well," said Severus through gritted teeth, "I'm sure we can work something out."

"Excellent," said Arthur with a wide grin. "Excellent."

Serena glanced at the clock on the wall and couldn't believe how quickly the evening had flown. She had danced the proverbial night away, alternating between classical ballroom with Severus and raucous rock-n-roll with Tonks and Kerry. She and Severus had decided they would leave the reception by midnight. If their guests wished to continue the festivities they were welcome to stay, but the newly married couple wanted to dash off. They would only have the weekend for their honeymoon, since they were waiting until the Yule break at Hogwart's to go on their true honeymoon.

"One more dance," Severus whispered in her ear. "I picked out something special."

As if on cue, the music started and Serena looked up at him. "A tango?" she said. "My but you are bold tonight. This will give them fodder to discuss for weeks!" The intimate nature of the tango, the connection between the bodies, and the sensuous nature of the moves made it a remarkable dance. And when it was danced well, the audience watching would feel as flushed and aroused as the dancers.

"Then let them talk," he said. He pulled her in, pressing Serena's body tightly against his. She leaned her upper body back and circled it, cradled in the curve of his arm, around until she came to be nose to nose with Severus again. She raised her leg and he caught her thigh as he leaned back, stretching her out along the length of his torso and leg. From there, they stepped off into the rest of the dance.

"Oh my goodness," gasped Pomfrey as she watched them. The color rose in her cheeks and she used her hand to fan some air across her face. She wasn't the only one to have a blush creep across their cheeks as the newlyweds tangoed the length of the dance floor and back.

Severus and Serena looked only at each other and Serena felt her own face starting to flush as she moved in such close concert with Severus. It made her even more aware that they hadn't been together for several weeks. The music ended and Serena took a deep breath. If she lived to be 500 years old she would never, ever grow tired of dancing with him.

They were standing next to the door and Severus whispered in her ear, "Shall we take our leave, luv?"

"We shall."

They turned and waved to everyone and the group of guests began to cheer and applaud. Then, unexpectedly, Severus swept Serena off of her feet and carried her out the door to the utter delight of the assembled guests. Standing next to each other, Tonks and Aunt Kerry clinked their wine glasses together, as the bride and groom disappeared into the night. They knew exactly where Serena and Severus were headed and they thought back to their evening together, and the conversation about Serena's latest ill-advised bet with her husband.

"I dinna know if dear Severus will survive the weekend," laughed Kerry, "not after that last dance… But a bet is a bet."

"And it is finally time to collect," squealed Tonks. She started to laugh and then she looked at the wicked grin on Kerry's face and laughed even harder.

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_Please send a review along… What am I doing well? What could I do better? Hope to hear from you soon! _


	14. Buttons Undone

**Disclaimers: See Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Many thank yous to… **

**Wyall Jared… **Thanks. I like how Tonks and Kerry work together, too. It was unexpected, but that's the fun of writing… sometimes two characters just WORK. And I don't think it will hurt Severus to have some wild women in his life… even if they will give him heartburn from time to time.

**Mercury Gray… **The dancing? I wanted Severus to have an unexpected side and I thought ballroom dancing would open up some interesting avenues. The way Rowlings writes him and Alan Rickman portrays him, I think his precise nature as a Potions Master would make him well-suited for the intricacies of dancing, and that his temper hints a creative flair that's so necessary for a good dancer. Maybe I'm just seeing what I want, but that's what I see.

**  
Evenstar Elanor… **I think I've said it before… I know Snape gives you the willies so thanks for suspending your disbelief for the duration of my stories. And yes, I believe that even Severus Snape at his most ornery and cantankerous still ought to have someone who loves him for who he is… even if he hides that part away from the rest of the world.

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**Chapter 14: Buttons Undone**

Stepping out of the Great Hall, Severus set his wife down on the ground. Along the path, small glass globes with candles in them flickered, casting a delicate white light along the ground leading from the Hall to the cottage. The candles had been Mina's idea and she and Dobby had rounded up several other House Elves to make sure all the candles were lit before midnight. Hand in hand, Serena and Severus walked down the path. When they reached the cottage, Severus scooped her up in his arms again and waited for the door to swing open.

"You're such a traditionalist," she laughed.

"The groom is supposed to carry his wife across the threshold," he said firmly, "and that's exactly what I shall do." He stepped through the door and after it closed behind him, he set Serena down again. "Welcome home, luv."

Serena turned within the curve of his arms and unbuttoned Severus' jacket, sliding it off of his shoulders. He watched her with a bemused smile and a slightly cocked eyebrow. He would have liked nothing better than to shed all of their clothes within a matter of moments and toss her down on the sofa... He may have put on a façade of cool control for the past few weeks, but he had missed being with Serena. However, he fully intended to savor the night. They would, after all, only have one wedding night and he wanted it to be more than simply a rampant shag.

One at a time she undid the buttons of his shirt and when it fell open, she leaned in and kissed Severus in the hollow where his collarbones came together. He groaned softly and she looked up with a smile.

"I was beginning to think you were made of ice," she teased.

"Not ice," he said. "Far from it. The heat generated from my dreams alone these past few weeks have made ice impossible."

"Your dreams, aye?" The look in her eye became more heated than simply mischievous. Severus took her by the hand and led her to the couch. He sat down and looked at Serena expectantly. She shortened up her skirts a little and settled herself into his lap.

"Better?"

He held her hips and pressed Serena against him in answer to her question, and like that very first night, she could hardly mistake his intent as he shifted beneath her. She bowed her head.

"Take my hair down?" she asked.

Severus slowly unpinned the headpiece, setting it on the table to the side of the couch. Then he gently ran his hands through Serena's hair, taking out hairpins as he found them, and a few minutes later, her dark hair tumbled down and draped over her shoulders.

_My god, she is beautiful. _Severus felt his body tighten in response. He loved her long hair and it looked dark and glossy against the white and pearls of her dress.

Serena cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Gently at first, but then she asked for more, parting her lips and felt Severus do the same. A chill raced through her as his hands slid up her waist and his fingers ran over the curve of her breast. He was rewarded with a soft moan and he smiled. Serena leaned down and kissed him again. Their lips parted and she opened her mouth, drawing Severus in. The kiss made them both feel lightheaded and they were breathing heavily.

"Shall we retire to the bedroom?" Serena's voice was husky.

"Absolutely." Severus leaned up and kissed her throat.

The bedroom was fully prepared for the newlyweds. Mina had put new sheets on the bed and turned the covers down. There were vases of flowers and clusters of candles that flickered to life when Serena and Severus came in the room. There was a bottle of raspberry butter wine and a platter filled with chocolate-covered strawberries.

Keeping his arm around Serena's waist, Severus circled around behind her. With his free hand, he brushed the hair away and started to kiss her neck. She rolled her head back and then he gently nipped at her, turning her groan turned into a husky laugh.

"Fresh…" she murmured. "Don't stop…"

Severus smiled. "As you wish…" He brought his hands around to her back and unbuttoned the first button, kissing her neck. The next button snapped free and Serena felt Severus' breath on her back just before his lips brushed her skin. She moaned and reached her hands back towards him.

"Shhh," he whispered as he avoided her fingers. He grabbed her waist and held her firmly, not letting her turn around. When she acquiesced, his fingers went back to the buttons on her dress.

"Tonks said you'd do this," she said as he undid one more button and kissed the bare skin beneath it. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the touch.

"I'd do what?"

"As soon as she saw all the buttons on the dress, she said you'd probably undo them all by hand…"

"Smarter than I gave her credit for, that one…"

Another button undone, another kiss. Then another. And another. It took a delicious eternity for Severus to reach the last button. He ran his fingers up Serena's back and she leaned into him with a sigh. He slid his hands under the shoulders of the dress and pushed them forward a little. Serena raised her hands, pulled the shoulders down and peeled the sleeves off of her arms. Without support, the dress sagged to the ground. She stepped out of it and turned around.

Severus looked at Serena in her lacy ensemble with her dark hair tumbled down, and then he tore his eyes from the curves of her body to look at her face. The look in her eyes stunned him for a moment. It was unvarnished desire. She took a step towards him and hooked her fingers into the waist of his pants, pulling him a step closer. His head swam as she allowed her fingers to linger on the button and zipper of his trousers. Moments later, their world dissolved into the feel of warm skin and passionate touches.

Always an ardent lover, Serena kissed and caressed her new husband until he thought he would die from his desires. He pulled her close and rolled her on the now disheveled bed sheets. Severus supported himself with his arms and gazed down at her. She relaxed, trusting him utterly, feeling him press against her, wanting her. Raising her head she kissed him again on his throat, his cheeks, and his lips.

She ran a foot along his calf, feeling the weight of him on her. He pressed forward more, balancing precariously on the edge of the moment. She gripped his shoulders and gasped as he paused.

Leaning his head down, Severus stared into her eyes. "Yes?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she answered in a breathless whisper.

This time, Severus did not pause or hesitate, and it was utterly delicious.

It was…

Perfect.

Perfection is relative, and the pursuit of it can be an everlasting quest that yields only frustration for when perfection is unattainable, the pursuer feels diminished and inadequate. Every now and again, however, perfection sneaks up upon you as you lie unaware. And if you are so fortunate as to recognize perfection when it graces you, you have captured a gift that often eludes even the most ardent crusader.

Wrapped in Severus' arms, Serena spoke in a soft, sleepy voice replete with satisfaction and fulfilled desire. "It has been a perfect day, hasn't it?"

Lying on his back, Severus kept his arms wrapped around Serena. She was right; it had been a perfect day. He lay awake long after she had drifted to sleep, replaying the day in his mind, and savoring the moment, and knowing how fleeting perfection was.

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_Okay… what did you think? Those of you who have read my other work know that I struggle with scenes like this. I'm shooting for steamy and romantic without too much graphic detail. Please read/review; I'd really like your feedback!_


	15. Retribution

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Thank you…!**

**Pasha ToH… **Welcome! Thanks for taking a look at this story. There's more to come; I hope you'll stop back for future chapters. Thanks also for the Sword review... in it you sent an email address but the exension didn't come through.

**Wyall Jared… **Perfect? I'm utterly flattered. It's all going to end? Well, there are some bumps in store for the Snapes… but you'll just have to read on and find out how big the bumps are.

**Evenstar Elanor… **Last time? You've corrected me on a lot but I don't recall ever being corrected on Rowling's name. But then, at my age, the short term memory does start to go. Read on for more Malfoys…

**Mercury Gray… **I like being cheeky (big grin). You don't do so badly – You're more detailed than I am, but I've never found your work to be in bad taste.

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**Chapter 15: Retribution**

The street lights of London weren't as warm and romantic as those lining the path at Hogwart's, and romance was the furthest thing from Lucius Malfoy's mind as he and Malificus walked back into the Malfoy's manor. Their meeting with Fudge and Umbridge had gone smoothly and everything proceeding apace, exactly as Lucius planned. That gave him some tiny amount of satisfaction considering how dismal the rest of his night had been. He looked coldly at his brother.

"Stay in the guest room tonight, and don't come out unless I send for you."

Malificus gave him a nasty glare and walked slowly down the hall, trying with all his effort to resist the compulsion to obey his brother. Lucius watched him for a minute, suppressing the urge to throw his brother to the floor and beat him senseless. He spun on his heels and headed to his bedroom.

He detoured to the study long enough to pour himself a shot of FireWiskey. Once he reached the bedroom, Lucius took off his clothes and belted a robe loosely around his waist. Looking at the bed, an odd sensation welled up in him as he thought of Narcissa and what he had learned earlier in the night. His eyes stung and his vision blurred. _Bloody hell, he thought, I will not allow that woman to make me cry! _Blinking rapidly, he banished the tears, but could not quell the pain. Despite what anyone might have believed, Lucius Malfoy did love his wife, and the pain of her betrayal cut him more deeply than he would ever allow anyone to know.

_I loved her! I gave her everything. Wealth. Power. Status. I let her into my heart, and I've never allowed anyone to do that… I trusted her, and she threw that trust in the gutter…._

From the other room, Narcissa came in. She was looking at the floor and didn't see him right away. When she looked in the mirror of her vanity, she flinched when she saw her husband staring at her, but she quickly covered it with a mask of aloof arrogance. She knew her husband despised weakness and she wasn't going to show him how worried and afraid she was.

"Lucius! I didn't realize you were home."

He didn't answer.

She walked over too the bed and took off her robe. Beneath it she wore a black silk nightgown. It was one of Lucius' favorites and she'd worn it on purpose, hoping his desire would overcome his anger. She miscalculated. Lucius watched her for a minute; she was a handsome woman… and she'd willingly been with another man. Lucius' anger exploded.

Grabbing Narcissa by the arm, he turned her and shouted, "Were you here with him? In this room? In this bed?"

"No!" It was the truth. She knew there were eyes in Malfoy Manor, and they would have betrayed her in an effort to gain favor with Lucius. No, she had never slept with Malificus here, but Lucius wasn't interested in believing her.

_How could you have done this to me? I loved you, Narcissa. I was faithful to you! You were the perfect wife for me… beautiful, ambitious, pureblooded…_ Each though tore through him, cutting him with a serrated blade.

Narcissa tore her arm away from him. "Lucius, please. Must we make an issue out of this? For goodness sakes, man. He was nothing more than a bloody plaything. Must this turn into a drama?"

_Game? GAME? She thinks I'm nothing more than her toy… no better than Malificus?_ Lucius Malfoy was no plaything for Narcissa to toy with and carelessly toss aside. She had hurt him in a way no one had ever hurt Lucius before, and this just deepened the puncture that tore his heart in half.

"A plaything," repeated Lucius, narrowing his eyes. He glanced down at his wife, the curves of her slender figure flattered by the black silk of the nightgown. He had always loved the feel of it under his fingers when the silk grew warm from her body… In a flash his fantasy suddenly became an image of Narcissa and Malificus entangled with one another, flushed and sweating, and the silk shift suddenly forgotten as it fell to the floor.

His wife. In his bed. With his brother.

"You're acting like a little boy," she said with a sigh as she turned away from him and toward their bed.

_No one turns their back on me! _With an enraged shout, he grabbed her from behind, wrapping his fist into her long hair and pinning her to the bed. With his arm pressed into her back, he leaned down and hissed into her ear. "Did you think I'd let you hurt me, humiliate me like this and not pay you back for it? Perhaps its time for you to understand what it means to be a toy… to be someone's plaything and then tossed away when they're bored with you…"

With his free hand, he pulled his robe open. "You're my wife. MY toy."

Narcissa divined in an instant what Lucius intended as he roughly grabbed the shoulder strap of her night gown. The silk tore far too easily and her bravado turned instantly to fear.

"Lucius! I'm sorry! You don't have to do this! Please don't!" She struggled and tried to move but that only made Lucius take a firmer grip on her hair.

"Don't do this?" he shouted. "I'm Lucius Malfoy and you're my wife. Who are you going to go to, Narcissa? Who would believe I forced myself on you? You're nothing by my toy now and I'll use you however I want. And then I'll throw you away."

Narcissa started to sob and then she cried out in pain as Lucius took her, sating only a tiny part of his lust for revenge. "Please stop, Lucius! You're hurting me…" she wailed; her pleading only increased his furor. After another moment, Lucius didn't hear her any more. He was so focused on humiliating her, showing her how powerless she was, that the only thing he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears.

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_Well, it took longer to get this posted than I would have liked. Okay, so, what did you think? I wanted to position this chapter just after "Buttons Undone" to try to contrast the high point in one relationship with the low point in the other. Did it work? Looking forward to your feedback._


	16. Accused

**Disclaimers: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**As always, tremendous appreciation for the reviews…**

**Pasha ToH… **So glad you liked it.

**Evenstar Elanor… **You felt badly for Lucius? I must be doing something right, my friend.

**Wyall Jared… **Brilliant? Egad, you're going to give me a big ego with praise like that. Glad, tho, that it got the blood flowing for you.

**Mercury Gray… **You find Lucius attractive? Me too, I must admit.

**Angoliel… **Welcome! I'm so glad you had the chance to read this. Did you do all 15 chapters in one sitting? "Bloody hard core." You have no idea how delighted I was to read that comment. (and glad you like the bad boys – I'm growing fonder of them by the day). Hope to get more reviews from you…

* * *

**Chapter 16: Accused**

On their official one-week anniversary as a married couple, Serena and Severus were armed for war. Each sporting the proper colors for Gryffindor and Slytherin, they arrived at the final Quidditch game of the fall season. Serena had wisely declined to make any wagers on the game with her husband. They sat in a general section of stands for this game. For the spring season, they had agreed to sit in the pavilion of whichever team had won the previous match. But since that didn't start until spring, this game was neutral territory.

The game had been a close one with the lead between Gryffindor and Slytherin exchanging several times before Harry Potter, in a positively brilliant turn-dive-and-roll maneuver, managed to catch the Golden Snitch. In the stands, Serena leaped to her feet, shrieking victoriously, and Severus looked up at his new wife with an indulgent smile quirking his face. He knew he'd hear about this game at least until the spring Quidditch season began because this win put Gryffindor firmly in the lead for the House Cup.

In a different place in the stands, Lucius Malfoy scowled as he watched Draco lose the Golden Snitch to Harry Potter's outstretched hand. He glanced up at the sky at the gathering clouds and then down at the crowd as they began to exit the arena. Then, just as he spotted Minister Fudge and Madame Umbridge, he felt the familiar distant chill that surrounded the Dementors.

_Well, thought Lucius coldly, at least the afternoon won't be a complete waste. This should prove to be most entertaining._

The crowd was thinning and the two teams were congregating on the field with their housemates. Serena and Severus worked their way through the crowd; Serena had her arm through Severus'. With her free hand, she waved as she saw Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"It was a marvelous game, wasn't it?" she enthused.

"You're gloating," groused Severus.

"It was," agreed the Headmaster.

"That was quite a marvelous catch that Harry made," said McGonagall with quite a bit of pride in her voice. Severus scowled at her a little but said nothing as a cold chill crept over him. He looked from side to side, trying to find the source. Serena and the others noticed it too and then someone pointed to the sky. Above them, Dementors slithered through the sky, sinister and forbidding.

"What are they doing here?" Serena was worried. Dementors could only mean trouble.

Dumbledore looked just as concerned. Peering up through his glasses, the Headmaster said, "I'm not sure…"

They were so absorbed with the Dementors that no one saw the small group of people pushing their way resolutely through the crowd. At the front of the group was Minister Fudge and next to him was his new favorite bureaucrat – Umbridge – a woman who distinctly looked like a toad. In the wake of the entourage was Lucius Malfoy, close enough to see what happened, but far enough away to distance himself from the Minister and his cronies.

"Severus Snape," shrilled Umbridge.

Everyone flinched and turned.

After a dramatic pause and glare at the Potions Master, she said, "You are under arrest for being a Dark Wizard, corrupting honest witches and wizards, and using your power to establish yourself as You Know Who's heir apparent."

Severus looked surprised for only a moment before he mastered his feelings; he would not allow her the satisfaction of letting them see him upset. Umbridge gestured at two Aurors who were with them and both stepped forward. Severus backed up a step and when one grabbed his arm Serena slapped it away.

"Take your hands off him!"

"Stay out of this, Miss…" Umbridge peered over her glasses.

"Missus," said Serena nastily. "Mrs. Snape, thank you very much."

Umbridge blinked her beady eyes slowly and she looked Serena up and down. The Dark Arts professor was poised with her center of gravity a little low and her fists clenched. She was obviously ready for a fight to erupt. The Aurors looked at each other, concerned. They all knew Tonks and knew of Serena's reputation as a fearsome and talented witch.

"Serena," said Severus. "There's no need to be upset. This must be some mistake."

"Mistake? It's a bloody huge mistake!" Distant in the back of her mind was her dream and the image of Severus being swept away from her in a swirling cold wind. Severus glanced up at the sky at the shadowy figures of the Dementors as they cruised in the grey sky like sharks circling their prey. She followed his eyes and realized why he was being so calm; he didn't want to bring the Dementors into this. It would make everything much more difficult and risk the chance of one of them getting out of hand.

One of the Aurors, a man Serena didn't recognize, took a hold her arm and tried to make her step away from Severus. Although his hand was gentle, she turned her head very slowly and stared coldly at him. The Auror swallowed hard.

"Take your hand off me or I will break it off…" she growled.

Lucius couldn't resist. He slipped through the crowd until he was at the front. "Well, well, Severus. Seems you've been up to some dark tricks to bring this escort out," he said with his trademark thin, sardonic smile.

Severus' expression darkened even further. Watching silently from the edge of the crowd, Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at each other. It never failed to amaze them, but every time they though that Snape couldn't get a darker, more frightening look on his face, he proved them wrong.

"You'll go without any fuss and bother," said Fudge as if it were an order.

Severus offered a thin smile. "Of course, Minister. I want to clear this error up as soon as possible."

As a convenience for game days, Dumbledore allowed one portkey to be activated. It was more convenient for the parents. The teachers put up several wards to ensure the portkey wasn't misused and McGonagall herself always made sure it was deactivated as soon as the game was finished. The Aurors, followed by a smug-looking Umbridge and the Minister, escorted Severus to the portkey. Several cracks and a pop made the remaining crowd flinch as they all disappeared. Just before he vanished, Severus looked back over his shoulder at his wife and the desperate look in his eyes nearly made her double over. After they disappeared, Serena simply stared at the empty spot in front of her blankly.

"Where are they taking him?" asked Serena.

As he was turning to leave, Lucius looked over his shoulder. "Why, he's been accused of being a Dark Wizard; they'll take him to Azkaban of course. Come along Draco." He put his hand on his son's shoulder and walked away.

_Azkaban._ Serena's stomach turned over as she imagined Severus in that horrible, horrible place.

"Serena?" The voice was McGonagall's. "I'm sure this is a mistake…"

Abruptly, Serena seemed to come back to herself and she turned to Minerva with a glare. "Mistake? Of course this is a mistake. Hell, this is no more than codswollop and gobshite!" she nearly shouted. "I'm not going to put up with this nonsense." She turned and stormed off towards home.

Minerva and some of the other teachers watched her go and all turned towards Dumbledore. The concerned wrinkle in his brow didn't make them feel any better.

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_Please read/review… I'm very interested to hear what you think._


	17. Solace in a Bottle

**Disclaimer: **Please see Chapter 1 and 2 for all disclaimers.

**Many thanks to…**

**Wyall Jared… **"Gobsmacked." What an utterly fabulous word. Maybe I'll have the chance to sneak that into my dialogue somewhere!

**Mercury Gray… **Yes, something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark.

**Evenstar Elanor…** Yippee, I surprised you! Yes, Dumbledore is a man of action; he's just not a man of RASH action.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Solace in a Bottle **

"Thank you, Madame Rosmerta," said Tonks. "When did she get here?"

"Around dinner time," said Rosmerta.

"She's been here for four hours," murmured Tonks. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"I couldn't bear to throw her out. Poor child's been through so much today with that awful scene at the Quidditch field and all. But she's starting to spoil for a fight and is going to start some trouble soon…," said the tavern owner. Tonks was actually somewhat surprised that Serena hadn't started any trouble.

"What are ye looking at?" barked a sullen voice tucked away in a booth as a patron gawked on his way out. The man hurried past Rosmerta.

"Oh dear," said Tonks. "How much has she had to drink?"

"More than half of my best bottle of FireWhiskey."

"That's a bloody enormous bottle! And she's still standing?"

"Well," said Rosmerta, "I don't mean to stereotype, but she _is_ Irish…"

But Tonks wasn't listening any more. She walked over to Serena's table and slid into the chair across from her friend and watched her put the shot glass down again.

"Nice hair. I like the color," said Serena referring to Tonk's now electric blue, spiked hairstyle.

"Thanks…"

"_Ar mhaith leat deoch?"_ asked Serena. Tonks looked at her blankly, not understanding the Gaelic.

"That means 'would you like a drink?'" clarified Serena.

"No, I'm quite fine."

"You're missing out… Rosmerta carries excellent FireWhiskey."

"How much have you had?"

"Let's see…" Serena picked up the bottle and squinted at it. "I still distinctly remember getting married, being blissfully happy for a week, and then watching this morning as my husband was falsely accused and dragged away – practically in chains – to Azkaban. I would have to say, then, that I have not had _NEARLY_ enough to drink." She filled her shot glass again and tossed it back. She grimaced as the liquor burned the back of her throat.

"Serena, you're drunk," said Tonks as kindly as she could.

"Ah," said Serena leaning forward and squinting at Tonks. "But how drunk is another matter! Back home, I would say I'm wavering between _ar deargmhisce_ – or very drunk – and my goal of _caoch olta_ – which is 'blind drunk.'"

"Why don't you let me walk you home?"

"I don't want to go home. Empty house. Empty bed." Serena's eyes started to fill up with tears. "No. It will be too lonely. I don't think I can bear it."

"I'll stay with you," said Tonks.

"No." Serena set her jaw.

Tonks tried a different tact. "Rosmerta's always been nice to you, hasn't she?"

"Yes…"

"Well, she's worried about you. She's worried some bloke will come in here and make a comment, and you'll lose your temper."

"I would never… well, aye, I probably would."

"So, let's go back to your cottage. You can sleep on the couch and I'll sleep in your guest room. That way you won't be alone." _And I can be there to help you nurse your hangover in the morning._

Serena's jaw was set in a hard, stubborn line. Tonks didn't object as she took one more shot of the whiskey and thought about what her friend had said. Rosmerta offered a small smile when Serena looked over at her. Heaving a long sigh, Serena put the shot glass upside down on the table.

"Aye, perhaps we should go, Tonks."

The walk back to the cottage was slow, given Serena's inebriated state. Tonks knew she could have gotten them there much faster, but figured the long walk and the fresh air would help clear Serena's head a little bit. Once they were back, Serena sat down heavily on the sofa and sighed. Tonks went into the kitchen, poured an enormous glass of water, and brought it back to her.

"Drink it," the Auror said. "All of it."

Serena took a long deep drink and put the glass on the table.

"We'll do everything we can to get him out of Azkaban," said Tonks. "You know that, right?"

Serena's voice was soft. "I know. I just… I just…" Her hands started to tremble and she looked at Tonks. "I am so scared, Tonks. I could lose him forever and I just found him!"

With that, the last of Serena's self-control crumbled to dust and she started to sob. Tonks put her arms around her friend and let her cry. Her cropped blue locks rested against Serena's black hair. Sobs racked Serena until she was nearly gasping, and tears ran down Tonk's cheeks as well. An hour later, an exhausted and still thoroughly drunk Serena was asleep on the sofa. Tonks pulled a blanket up until it covered her shoulders and then settled herself into the soft chair across from her friend.

_Bloody hell, thought Tonks. The Ministry is going to want to make an example of Severus. It may not be possible to save him, even if he is innocent…_

* * *

_Okay, I had two songs that gave me some inspiration for this chapter… "I jumped head-first into a bottle. I was looking for a friend. Came up just short of nothing. I didn't find the truth; I only found an end." (Bon Jovi) And, "I stopped by a bar at 3 AM to seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend. I woke up with a headache like my head against the wall, twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before when I went in seeking clarity." (Indigo Girls)_

_Well, that's it for this chapter. What did you think? Please read/review!_


	18. The Game's Afoot

**Disclaimers: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Thank you, thank you…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **I was simply wandering down the path laid out by the Muses.

**Wyall Jared…** I just love my English/Irish dictionary. It is a shame it doesn't have a section on colorful curses.

**Mercury Gray…** We all need friends like Tonks.

* * *

**Chapter 18: The Game's Afoot**

The cell at Azkaban was small, cold, and dingy. The entrance was sealed with a heavy wooden door, far too thick to ever be kicked down, that was banded by strips of iron. Cut into the door was a small window barely large enough for someone to look out. It was laced by two layers of thin iron bars.

Alone in his cell with the malign presence of the Dementors slithering through the air, Severus found he had a new respect for Sirius Black. _Black was in here for years, wrongly accused, thought Severus. How did he manage to stay sane? To not lose his mind?_

He thought back to that morning. Umbridge had said he'd been accused of drawing people into the Death Eaters. He knew that was a false accusation. Yes, he'd been a member of the Death Eaters once. It had been a misguided decision. Feeling lost and out of place, the Death Eaters had appeared to be the surrogate family or friends he'd been looking for, but even among them he'd been out of place. And soon he found that while he agreed with some of their philosophies on the surface, there was a darker heart that drove them than he was willing to serve. That was when Dumbledore had helped him get out.

"But you're never truly free. Not while HE is still around," he muttered to himself. "Some mistakes stay with you forever."

Severus rubbed his arm where the Dark Mark would appear in Voldemort's presence. It had been tingling lately, but those episodes had come and gone for a year or so, and so far the Death Eaters had not managed to bring Voldemort back.

He paced back and forth in the cell, his eyes constantly roaming, searching for some small weakness. There weren't any. Azkaban was a fortress. Finally he stopped and rubbed his eyes. The bed against the far wall was little more than a metal frame with a lumpy mattress. There were two tattered blankets and a pillow. Severus walked over and sneered at the pillow; it looked dirty and he didn't like the idea of putting his head on that while he slept. But he was exhausted and he had to sleep. This was as good as it was going to get for now. Severus did his best to ignore the random screams that would filter through the air. As he lay on the bed, trying to get comfortable, he couldn't help but think of the soft down comforter from home… and how it felt to have Serena's head resting on his shoulder.

_What are you doing, Serena? I'm sorry, so sorry this happened. I'd change my past if I could._ He rubbed the wedding band, taking some comfort from the feel of the gold beneath his fingers. Change his past; how many times had Severus wished he could do that?

_They're all talking about me. They all think I'm guilty; it won't even cross their minds that I might be innocent. Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater. Serena, what must you think?_ Inside his head, he answered his own question. _She's going to think I've lied to her all along. All of the work, all of the trust. She'll never trust me again. She'll never love me again. She'll leave me and I'll die alone, unlamented… No, they'll cheer when I'm dead. Then Serena will be free… free to find someone else. _

Unexpectedly, the thought of Oliver Wood jumped into his head. _Oliver? Bloody Hell, he's just a boy… but he's not a student anymore. He followed Serena around like a love-sick puppy. Or the oldest Weasley boy; they knew each other in school… _He sighed and felt the sting of tears at the corner of his eyes. He blinked rapidly driving them away. He twisted the ring again and it pinched his skin. The short, sharp pain shocked him out of his thoughts.

"Stop it," he whispered out loud. "Stop thinking like that. Serena loves me. She married ME. It's this vile place. Azkaban is doing this to me. I will not let it get the best of me. I'm not that weak."

He closed his eyes, finally letting sleep overtake him. Outside the door, a pair of hazel eyes peeked through the tiny window at him. The woman smiled as she watched Severus, and it was a calculating smile at best.

_This could be an entertaining little game,_ thought Meredith Parsons just before she turned and walked away.

* * *

_Okay, what did you think? Please read/review!_


	19. A Deal with the Devil

**Disclaimer: See Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Much gratitude to…**

**Evenstar Elanor and Mercury Gray… **Yes, you're both right. Meredith is _THAT_ Meredith.

**Angoliel… **Please, no more gnawing! I'm writing as fast as I can. Glad you're getting hooked on the story!

* * *

**Chapter 19: A Deal with the Devil**

Serena met Jeremy at a small café in Diagon Alley. They had tea and talked briefly about Severus' situation. She was able to let Jeremy know that several people including Dumbledore and Tonks were trying to find out all they could about the charges against her husband. What she couldn't tell him was anything about the Order of the Phoenix, and in the back of her mind she knew that the Order couldn't be exposed. She understood that, and she accepted it, but it still scared her.

"Serena?"

She blinked. "I'm sorry, Jeremy. You were saying?"

"I can stay here until everything's done. I'll serve as Severus' barrister," repeated Jeremy.

"Thank you. I do your appreciate your help," said Serena. "I'll be honest; I don't trust most of the barristers from the Ministry right now. Too many of them are under someone's thumb."

"Someone? Are you thinking the Minister?" asked Jeremy.

"Fudge? Inconsequential." She snorted with contempt. "I was thinking Umbridge."

"Be careful what you say, Serena," warned Jeremy. "That could be considered an accusation and if it's unfounded…"

She flared. "And Severus' accusation has a foundation? Who will suffer for the damage to his reputation?"

"Serena." Jeremy's voice was gentle. "I know about Severus' past and I know he's put the Death Eaters behind him. But you know as well as I do that he's earned his own reputation while being Potions Master, and in many respects he has very few friends. There are a lot of people who would enjoy seeing him brought low."

She glared at Jeremy as tears rimmed her eyes. There was truth in his words and she fought back the waspish comment that flew to her lips.

From a discreet corner of the room, Lucius could tell that Serena was getting upset. _Good, he thought. The more upset she is, the less she can focus._ He looked at his watch; it was getting later and he had a lunch appointment of his own that he needed to keep. He walked down the street, the end of his walking stick biting the ground with each step.

Meredith Parsons watched him walk smoothly across the room after Lucius came into the dining room of the inn where she was waiting to meet him. The man had an innate elegance that made her flutter. She tucked her shoulder-length hair behind one ear and smoothed her jacket.

"Good day, Lucius," she said. He smiled and gave her an appraising look. Meredith had worn a white silk shirt with buttons down the front. The top two were undone, providing an inviting area for any gentleman so inclined to sneak a look, and Lucius didn't waste the opportunity. The silk of the shirt was light enough for the pattern of the lace beneath it to show through just enough.

"You're looking ravishing, Meredith," he said as he sat down.

The talked about a few inconsequential things and waited until their tea and scones arrived. Once the waitress left, they continued the innocuous banter for a few more minutes. A few times while they ate, Lucius caught Meredith sneaking looks at him. Finally, Lucius dabbed the corner of his mouth with his napkin.

"Have you considered my proposal, Meredith? I can make it more worth your while than you realize," said Lucius.

"Anything I can do to help the cause," said Meredith. She stayed vague, realizing how many ears were around. It just wouldn't do to mention Voldemort in any way in such a public place. "How worth my while?"

Lucius lightly laid his hand over Meredith's but said nothing. Holding her gaze, he slowly used his thumb to caress her hand. Meredith raised an eyebrow and color crept into her cheeks.

"I do believe Mrs. Malfoy would scupper that idea right quick," said Meredith. As much as she would relish a tumble or two with Lucius, she knew Narcissa Malfoy by reputation. Crossing her was not something Meredith relished doing. Lucius offered Meredith a charming smile.

"My dear, trust me when I tell you that Mrs. Malfoy really isn't in a position right now to object to anything." He let his hand brush along Meredith's arm as he picked up his water glass. She felt the tingle of electricity run up her arm.

"I see."

"I'm certain you do. I must be off, Meredith. Best of luck; I'm sure our next conversation will be quite… revealing."

_I do hope so, thought Meredith as he walked away._ Lucius Malfoy was a powerful wizard and anyone in his good graces was certain to reap the benefits. _I've worked long enough as the Ministry's liaison to Azkaban; its time I move up in the world. And if tormenting Severus Snape and this little tart of his will do it, then torment I will. _She smiled as she leaned back in her chair and sipped her tea, trying to imagine what Lucius would look like without his trousers.

Back at the other café, Jeremy said, "I think we've done enough today. You go home and get some rest. I'll collect all of my notes and the information you've given me and see where we stand. I'll also start petitioning the Ministry to let me talk to Severus. It is high time they stopped sandbagging me."

They shook hands and went their separate ways. Serena wasn't paying attention as she walked and didn't see anyone in front of her until she heard a strange woman say, "I know you. You're the woman who married that Death Eater they arrested."

"And just who the bloody hell are you?" Serena stopped in her tracks and glared. She was in no mood for even the slightest amount of grief.

"Meredith. Meredith Parsons. I was Severus' girlfriend while we were in school together."

"I know all about you," said Serena. "You toyed with Severus, broke his heart, and made him feel worthless and used." She looked Meredith up and down slowly, her expression not changing at all.

"I'm a Ministry liaison to Azkaban. Severus has been my guest…" Meredith said, letting the fact dangle in front of Serena. Serena's eyes flew to Meredith's face and she saw the malice behind the smile. Serena wanted to ask about Severus, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to believe anything Meredith told her. Serena stayed silent, grinding her teeth in anger and frustration.

Meredith laughed derisively. "You must not have very high standards since you actually married him. Then again, you were in Gryffindor, weren't you? You're probably not that bright to begin with."

"I'm quite pleased with my choice of a husband," snapped Serena. "The fact that you didn't see what a prize you had tells me that Slytherin's reputation for idiocy is well deserved."

_Bitch._ "He's a Death Eater and Death Eaters deal in deception." Meredith watched the moment of doubt flash across Serena's face as a whirlwind of memories swamped her. All the lies and deceit surrounding her mother's murder threatened to drag Serena under, but Meredith's malicious little giggle snapped her back to the moment. Serena clenched her fists and started to push past Meredith. She had no more time to waste here, but Severus' ex stepped in front of her and poked her finger into Serena's chest.

"Answer me one thing, did you shag him at first because he's a Death Eater? Did you think it would be exciting? You must have been terribly disappointed. I mean, I've had Severus. Several times. No finesse; absolutely no idea how to please a woman." She laughed. "No imagination at all, really. Nothing more than an inept little boy…"

Serena's eyes got wide. "Nobody talks about my husband like that."

It only took one punch to drop Meredith to the ground. Serena walked quietly on her way while some people murmured and pointed. Meredith sat on the ground, her hands to her face and blood running through her fingers.

"My nothe!" she cried. "My nothe is broken!"

Serena walked away without another word. All she wanted to do was get back to the cottage and think. She'd been upset enough after her conversation with Jeremy, and Meredith hadn't helped. She turned a corner, her stride increasing as she hurried along. Three determined strides later she literally ran smack into Lucius Malfoy.

The day had truly gone from bad to worse.

"I'm glad I've run into you, my dear," Lucius said with a smile that Serena didn't trust one whit.

"And why would I want to have anything to do with you?" Serena's voice was frosty.

Lucius smiled again and it made Serena feel the bile rise in her throat. "Oh, pish, my dear. I would just hate to see your situation get worse. I mean, I know that they've restricted the use of Dementors as guards in Azkaban, except in cases of imprisoned Death Eaters." He paused and looked at her with apparent sympathy. "I would hate too see a Dementor get out of control and have anything untoward happen to Severus."

For a moment, Serena couldn't breathe. Lucius very carefully kept a reserved, stoic face, despite the fact that her horrified expression pleased him to no end.

"What exactly are you implying, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Implying something? Heavens, no! It would just be a shame for an accident to happen. Well then, I must be off." He turned, swirling his cloak around him and vanished.

Serena's face darkened and she scowled at his retreating figure. "You seem to forget, Lucius Malfoy, that two can play this game. And when I play a game, then I bloody well win."

* * *

_So, what do you think? Love to hear your feedback so please read/review! _


	20. Miscalculation

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Mercury Gray… **I don't think we'll be snipping dear Lucius any time soon.

**Evenstar Elanor… **She doesn't live at Azkaban. Just a regular visitor.

**Angoliel… **"Tink her across the nose." Love it. And glad you've liked Thunderstruck so far…

**Wyall Jared… **Nofears. Serena can only take so much.

**Athena Dumbledore… **Welcome! Glad you like the story so far.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Miscalculation**

Meredith looked in the mirror, scrutinizing her face. The doctor at St. Mungo's had done an excellent job. No one who hadn't seen the incident at Diagon Alley would ever know that her nose had been broken. What he hadn't been able to heal was the humiliation. As much as she told herself that Serena had resorted to violence like some barbarian, the fact was that Serena had knocked Meredith to the ground with a single punch.

Satisfied she looked better than anyone else in the office; she walked out of the ladies room and returned to her office. Her desk at the Ministry was spotless; all of her files were stacked in orderly bins. Her new secretary – the fourth one in as many months – minced into the room.

"Excuse me, Ms. Parsons?" Her voice was thin and reedy. In her hands was a stack of notes that had come via owl over the past several days. "More messages have arrived from Barrister Thorne demanding to be allowed access to his client."

She scowled at the secretary who quailed. "Fine," Meredith sighed. _I've put him off as long as I can without someone starting to ask questions, but the man is a bloody pest from hell!_ "Inform Mr. Thorne that I shall meet him at Azkaban tomorrow at three in the afternoon. He can talk to his client then."

"Very good, madam." The secretary scurried out of the room and shut the door behind her.

The next day, Meredith made sure she was at Azkaban well before Jeremy's appointment. She sent the guards off to other areas of the prison and walked down the stairs that led to the hallway where Severus' cell was. For a few minutes, she looked through the small window – if you could even cal it that – in the cell's door. Severus was lying on his bed, rubbing his eyes. He heard the door open and froze. Slowly he opened one eye to see who had invaded his dank little corner of hell.

"Well, it has been too long, hasn't it, Severus?"

Snape stood up warily from his bed. Her figure was a little fuller than he remembered, the hair was shorter, but there was no mistaking those hazel eyes.

"Meredith?"

"Oh, and I was afraid you would have forgotten all about me by now." She smiled and looked up at him through her lashes.

_As if I could ever forget you, he thought, even though I have tried._

"Well it seems that you've gotten yourself in quite a pickle, luv."

He was mildly offended by her use of the affectionate term but ignored it.

"What do you want?"

"Still as blunt as ever, I see. Well, I wanted to tell you that your barrister has finally gotten around to seeing you. Can't believe it took him this long. I mean, can you imagine any reputable barrister letting his client just languish in here without so much as a consultation?"

Severus' frown deepened. _What barrister?_ He hadn't heard anything about who his case had been assigned to. _Probably some fresh out of school boffin who has never worked a trial before._

"You don't even know who your barrister is? You poor dear." The underlying message was unmistakable: _no one cared enough about you to even get you a barrister… not even your wife._

Inside, Severus felt a wall begin crumbling and the cold desolation of Azkaban leeched its way a little deeper into him. Meredith hid her smile, putting a façade of concern. Just a little more and Severus would be so unhinged that a jury would have no trouble delivering him, trussed and tied, to the Dementors. She was so taken with gloating about how pleased Lucius would be; she wasn't thinking when she spoke next.

"Once Thorne gets around to getting here…"

"Thorne?" Severus leaped at the glimmer of hope she inadvertently offered. "Jeremy Thorne?" Surely Serena had been the one to track Jeremy down. There was no other way he would have heard about what happened to Severus.

Meredith realized her misstep and a flash of irritation skimmed through her eyes. "I didn't catch his first name," she lied with a dismissive sniff. "I have more important things to do. Perhaps I'll stop back later to see how you're feeling."

Severus hoped that she wouldn't, but figured he wouldn't be that fortunate. "When will Jeremy be here? I want to get this foolishness resolved quickly," snapped Severus, grateful that she was leaving.

Meredith smirked, and offered one last verbal dagger. "Don't worry, I'm sure your trial won't take long at all."

Severus hardly found that statement reassuring. The door slammed behind her and in the echoing silence, Severus felt himself starting to sink further down into despair.

* * *

_Ah, at last. Sorry this one took so long. Wee bit of writer's block combined with too much "real life" going on. I haven't touched my manuscript either and I'm feeling rather guilty. This is a bit of a transitional paragraph and hopefully I can get the next one up soon. Please read/review!_


	21. Beyond Reason

**Disclaimers: **See Chapters 1 and 2 for full disclaimers

**Thank you, as always…**

**Wyall Jared… **Oh, yes. Severus is still around. Trust me.

**Evenstar Elanor… **I don't know if he'd call her eyes mesmerizing at this point, but there's still something attractive about Meredith, at least physically, but Severus knows her true nature so he wouldn't do more than look. As for Meredith and Lucius… you want more? Maybe.

**Angoliel… **Best last-day-of-finals gift ever? As always, I am flattered you enjoy my work so much.

**Mercury Gray… **Interesting? LOL. I say that a lot and my friend always says, "there's that word again."

* * *

**Chapter 21: Beyond Reason **

It had been several weeks since Severus had been taken away, several weeks of long nights lying awake for both Serena and Severus. Serena had been driving herself relentlessly. Any moments during the day that she had free were spent looking for details on the Ministry's case against Severus. Information was hard to come by; most times Serena ran into a stone wall.

She'd met with Jeremy several times and he wasn't having much luck either. He was even having trouble getting a date set for the trial. That worried Serena; she didn't like the idea of Severus in Azkaban one bit. The longer he was there, the more opportunity that foul place had to eat away at him. Glancing at the calendar, Serena frowned. It was December already.

Serena pulled her thick hair back into a ponytail and picked up her tea cup. She held the warm porcelain in her hand and breathed deeply. There were hints of peppermint in the aroma. She'd always found the scent soothing and she needed soothing right now. Most of the morning she'd spent at the Ministry trying to get information from Fudge and Umbridge. They'd tried to force her to deal with that wretched Parsons woman and Serena had flatly refused.

She hadn't found out much, but what she had learned, puzzled her. In the past, trials for anyone even suspected of being involved in the Death Eaters was tried by their peers and the trials were mostly shrouded in secrecy. Severus trial was going to be very public – almost like a Muggle trial. Umbridge had said it was to make sure everyone could see how hard the Ministry was cracking down on Death Eaters and other disreputable and unsavory characters.

The knot in Serena's stomach was growing tighter by the minute. Umbridge had said that there wouldn't be any need really for a defense since the witness was so compelling, and Severus' barrister hadn't provided any rebuttal witnesses. Serena couldn't understand why Jeremy wouldn't have anyone. If there were no way to rebut their testimony, it would only take a matter of hours to convict Severus.

"Bastards," she muttered to herself. "They're setting him up and they're going to railroad him and bollocks to anything resembling justice…"

Elsewhere in the wizarding world, members of the Order of the Phoenix were coming to the same conclusion. None of them could defend Severus without revealing the Order. They all knew when they joined that they could be in this situation. They all knew that each of them could be sacrificed to preserve the order. What disturbed them more was the Death Eaters had become very quiet. Dumbledore and the others thought that some sort of plot was being hatched, but so far, no one could discover what. Tonks, in particular, was working herself into lather, torn between hunting out the real Death Eaters and doing what she could to support Serena.

As she walked, Serena wondered more about Jeremy's lack of witnesses and resolved to contact him as soon as she got home. She finally looked up, realizing that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, and suddenly saw Narcissa Malfoy gliding through the crowd. Narcissa looked pinched and tight, as if something was nagging at her thoughts. Increasing her stride, Serena caught up with Narcissa just before she turned down Nockturn Alley.

"Narcissa Malfoy," she said.

Narcissa turned around quickly. Her eyes widened but she stood her ground. "Serena Castleton-Black, or should I call you Serena Snape?" There was a venomous emphasis on the last name. Serena ignored her.

"Your husband and I exchanged words the other day."

"Oh, really? I am not privy to every single stop Lucius makes during his day."

"He insinuated that something vile might happen to my husband while he's in Azkaban."

"Well, it is a prison, and accidents do happen sometimes."

"Well," said Serena, mimicking Narcissa ever so slightly. "I will not be quite as coy as your husband was. If anything happens to Severus, if he's harmed in any way, I will hold you responsible. You and your husband…"

Narcissa glared at her. "We would never be party to something like that although no one would really miss the name Snape if it disappeared." _Lucius would never allow something so crass to be connected to the Malfoy family name, but he would be lauded by the Death Eaters. _"Don't you threaten me you little guttersnipe."

"Wouldn't miss the name Snape?" Serena was finished with this little game. Anxious and frightened for Severus, she passed the point of reason and reached into a really dark place within herself. "Wouldn't miss the name Snape? Really? I'll tell you again, Narcissa. If any thing happens to Severus, I'll hold Lucius personally responsible. It would be a shame to see the Malfoy family name end with this generation."

_End? With this generation? _"What on earth are you blithering about…?"

Serena waited with a rather cold smile on her face. She gently fingered the edge of her cloak. It was her school cloak with the Hogwart's crest and motto embroidered on it. As Serena's fingers glanced over the gold stitching, Narcissa suddenly understood. _Draco!_ Serena had access to her son nearly every single day.

"He's my son…" hissed Narcissa.

"And Severus is my husband."

"You wouldn't dare."

Serena leaned in so close, her nose was only inches away from Narcissa. "Push me any further, Mrs. Malfoy, and you will see exactly what I'm capable of… and why the Sorting Hat nearly put me in Slytherin when I was at Hogwart's."

* * *

_Well, thus closes another chapter in Panther. Please let me know what you think. Like many sequels, I like this but I don't think it is as good as the original. Remember, I'm always open to suggestions or ideas for where the story might go… I may not use your idea directly, but you never know what it might inspire!_


	22. Silver in the Dark

**Disclaimer: All disclaimers can be found in Chapters 1 and 2**

**Shout outs…**

**Angoliel… **You're right, it is Knockturn. My bad. Thanks too for the reminder on the caps. I must have been a little lazy (or rushed) on this one.

**Evenstar Elanor… **Who knows what people are capable of? Especially when they're pushed too far…

**Wyall Jared… **Thank you for the sequel vote of confidence. I appreciate it.

**Mercury Gray… **There will definitely be an interaction between Serena and Draco, probably not as volatile as you might expect, but they'll definitely spend a little time together.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Silver in the Dark**

November had slipped away unnoticed in a haze of misery, fear and anxiety for Serena. She stared out the window of her bedroom watching the flakes of snow fall as if she'd never seen snow before. December was here and Severus wasn't; it made the winter chill seem even colder.

She sat down on the bed and rubbed her eyes. Bundled in her flannel pajamas she had been resisting bed for some time now. She had spent hours poring over books from the Hogwart's library. Desperate to know how Severus was, Serena had come up with the idea to find away to become an animagus.

Minerva had given her a few books, knowing that Serena wouldn't find a way. As talented as the Defense Against Dark Arts professor was, she had no talent as an animagus and all the research and attempts she made weren't going to make a difference. The worst Serena would do was exhaust herself and maybe actually get some sleep. And as far as Minerva was concerned, sleep was exactly what Serena needed with the trial starting in two days.

The snow started to come down more steadily and Serena wondered if it was falling on Azkaban as well. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered the Yule surprise Severus had arranged for her last year.

"Miss Serena?" Mina's reedy voice drifted in from the doorway.

Serena looked up and her eyes were shiny. The House Elf hurried in and handed a handkerchief to her. Serena took it with a wan smile and dabbed her eyes.

"Is there anything else Miss Serena needs before she goes to sleep? Mina can get it for you."

"No, Mina. Thank you," said Serena. "Sleep will be the best thing for me. I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Very good Miss Serena. Mina will be back in the morning."

Serena crawled under the covers and pulled them up to her chin. From under the pillow next to her, Serena pulled one of Severus' linen shirts. She'd been sleeping with it ever since he'd been taken away. She pulled the shirt in close and ran the tip of her finger over her wedding band feeling the warmth of the metal. A moment later, her eyes fluttered and closed and she fell asleep still wishing she could shift shapes and go find her husband.

Buried within the dark core of Azkaban, Severus couldn't see the snow as it fell, dusting the walls and turrets of Azkaban in imaginary sugar. He lay awake in the bleak cell, feeling every bump in the cold, hard slab that passed for a bed in the wretched facility. He had a pillow and a thin blanket but that was all. He let his thumb run along the edge of his wedding ring.

"What are you doing, Serena?" he wondered out loud. "It is so hard to remember that you love me… All I can think is I wouldn't blame you if you divorced me. I will only bring you down. Your grandfather was right…"

He physically flinched as he suddenly realized what he was saying. His eyes darted to the door, to the bleak shadow of the Dementor that had paused there. Severus turned on his side so he faced away from the door. He shivered and squeezed his eyes shut. _It is just the Dementors, he said to himself. Serena loves you. She loves you. She loves you. _He repeated the mantra over and over in his mind, all the while rubbing his wedding band, until he felt the shadow of the Dementor pass away. Every day was a new struggle not to slip any further into an abyss of despair and self-loathing.

Rolling onto his back again, he sighed. It was so hard to remember that someone outside of Azkaban cared about him, especially with the Dementors around. He forced his mind to wander to happier, freer times, and his evening out before his wedding was what he thought of. Then the Headmaster's words came back to him: _"Always remember how much you love Serena and how much she loves you. You know it's true, right in here."_ Severus could almost feel Dumbledore tap him on the chest again. _"If you can feel that love in there, it will carry you through darker times than you can ever imagine. It will keep you afloat, Severus. It will save your sanity and your soul. Remember that."_

"I just wish I could touch you, Serena," he whispered and touched his wedding ring to his lips. Just as the words left his mouth, there was a small noise and a soft white glow started to fill the room. Severus twisted around on his bed, slamming his back against the wall. There was no way to defend himself from whatever was coming except with his bare hands.

Across the cell, the white light grew more solid and started to take shape. A moment later a glowing white panther stood facing him, staring at Severus with deeply intelligent eyes. It looked like a patronus, but it wasn't his, and this creature was translucent, not as solid as a patronus would be. His own patronus took the shape of a coyote, the trickster from American Indian mythology. Severus sat very still and watched the cat through narrowed eyes.

Without a sound, the panther padded across the room and climbed up onto the platform with Severus. The creature lay down, rested its head on its paws, and shut its eyes. Severus started to get off the bed and the panther growled softly, turning a silver blue eye towards him. When he froze, the cat shut its eyes again and he felt the body relax. Despite the panther's transparent appearance, it felt very warm and very solid.

Soon, Severus' arm began to hurt and he sagged lower on the bed. As he got closer to the beast, the panther began to purr like a kitten. The rumbling vibration rolled through his chest, warming his cold, despondent core. A smile curled his mouth as he started to sink into a real sleep, the first he remembered in weeks.

He let his thoughts wander unexpectedly and found himself thinking of the first time he danced with Serena. The feel of her cradled in his arms had been exquisite, and later they had shared that first kiss, a kiss that had left him breathless. It was one of his favorite memories… He hesitated, waiting for the stab of agony that always followed any happy memory he had, but it never happened. The dark claws of Azkaban didn't touch him this time.

Amazed, Severus reached out and gently stroked the panther's fur, and it started to purr even louder. In the morning, he woke up, alone and shivering but the tiny tuft of silver white fur on his pillow told Severus that last night had not been merely a waking dream.

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_Sorry it took so long to get this one posted, my friends. Life has been just wild lately (not bad, just BUSY!). Hope you enjoyed this chapter… Please review!_


	23. Gamesmanship

**Disclaimers: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Shot outs…**

**Lady of the Dog Star… **So glad you're back! Hope to hear from you again soon!

**Mercury Gray… **Hope cute and fluffy alleviated your bad day when you read the last chapter.

**Angoliel… **Is she an animagi? Maybe. You'll have to wait and see.

**Evenstar Elanor… **It was meant to be a little mysterious, my friend. You'll have to wait and see, too.

**Wyall Jared… **I thought the coyote worked well for Severus.

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**Chapter 23: Gamesmanship**

The sun was up when Serena finally woke up. Her arms were stretched out and crossed in a very cat-like position, which she found very odd. Lately she'd taken to sleeping curled up and wrapped in her blankets. She started to turn over with a smile, but it faded away as she realized she was alone. She pulled Severus' shirt closer to her.

"How odd," she whispered. When she woke up Serena could have sworn she felt Severus stroking her hair. But that was impossible. Severus was in prison, waiting for his trial to begin tomorrow. Her lip trembled, but she forced herself to swallow the tears.

Going through the mechanics of getting ready, Serena drifted into the shower and then out for breakfast. Her eyes were distant and her manner stiff. She ate whatever Mina put in front of her, but didn't taste any of it. From the stove, Mina kept throwing worried glances at Serena but those went unnoticed as well.

Still lost in her thoughts, Serena pulled on her robes and headed out the door to her classes. She was almost grateful to have a full class schedule; while she was teaching she could put the outside world far from her thoughts. Serena's second to last class of the day was one of her most challenging. Anything that brought Slytherin and Gryffindor together in the same room usually meant some fireworks, although most of the students had been wisely subdued since Severus had been arrested. No one wanted to tempt the ire of their Defense Against Dark Arts professor.

"Before you go," Serena said to the class as they wrapped up for the day, "be sure to finish the homework I assigned. I won't be in tomorrow, as you know. However, I believe most of you remember Professor Remus Lupin? He will be filling in tomorrow and he's been apprised of all of your assignments. I expect that you will all be on your best behavior."

Draco Malfoy slouched a little lower in his chair. He smirked and said, "Best bring the flea powder tomorrow." Crabbe and Goyle snickered and in front of them, Harry, Hermione and Ron stiffened angrily, but before they could defend one of their favorite former professors, Serena slapped the flat of her hand on her desk. The noise made everyone flinch.

"Mr. Malfoy, you will be joining me for detention this evening," she snapped. "You know I don't tolerate disrespect like that in my classroom."

"But Professor…"

"Another word and you'll have detention tomorrow with Professor Lupin as well. Care to continue to push your luck?"

"No, Professor." Malfoy's voice was sullen. And he flushed a little under the gleeful glances of the Gryffindor students.

When he arrived for his detention that night, Draco found a copy of _A Deconstructive Analysis of the Densaugeo Spell _by Armando diAllegro. He suppressed a groan; diAllegro had a reputation of writing some of the driest, most difficult text books to get through.

Serena didn't even look up from her desk. "I expect a detailed report from you on the three reasons diAllegro finds for the use of a densaugeo spell when dealing with Cornish Pixies." Her eyes flicked up to see how Draco reacted.

The corners of his lips twitched, but Serena couldn't tell if it was a smile or a frown. "Yes, Professor," was all he said.

The assignment wasn't as difficult as it first sounded. The three or four paragraphs about Cornish Pixies were on page 22 of the tome; if Draco could stay focused, he could probably get most of the assignment done in three or four hours. If he got lazy and started to skim the book, then it would be very easy to breeze right by it and he would end up reading the entire thing.

His body language was stiff as he sat down and Serena knew he was still angry of the detention. Classes had ended at 2:00 that day, and because of the detention, Draco had missed his Quidditch practice. As he hunched over the book and started to read, Serena leaned back in her chair, thinking about her encounter with Narcissa and about her threat.

_Could I do it? Serena wondered. He's an arrogant, insulting young man who's as infuriating as his father is, but he's never done anything to me directly. Could I really curse him? Would I?_ She tried to imagine what it would feel like to let the words Avada Kedavra actually leave her mouth. Tried to imagine what Draco would look like as he dropped. Would he be surprised? Or would it happen too quickly?

The nauseated feeling the bloomed in her stomach answered Serena's first question. She wasn't a killer. Her threat to Narcissa had stemmed from her deep fury over what happened to Severus, and her need to keep someone in the Malfoy family off-balance. It was gamesmanship, nothing more. Her inner musings were abruptly interrupted. Narcissa Malfoy stormed into the classroom with her skirts swirling around her.

"What is my son doing here?"

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_Another long pause between chapters, so thank you to everyone who is sticking with the story. Hope you're still enjoying it. Please read/review and let me know what you think! _


	24. Dinner at Malfoy Manor

**Disclaimers: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Angoliel… **Unhand that Muse! (jk!)

**Mercury Gray… **Never have to apologize for your alliteration…

**Evenstar Elanor… **Get on with it? Cheeky monkey! (jk, also!... I'm just teasing you).

**Wyall Jared… **Always interesting to explore what you think you may or may not be capable of… Glad you liked the chapter so much.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Dinner at Malfoy Manor**

Narcissa stared at Serena with a haughty expression that said _my son could have never done ANYTHING that would warrant detention… _She was wearing a velvet cloak and a very stylish hat with several glossy, black, raven feathers stuck in the band.

"Mother?"

She smiled indulgently at her son but didn't answer them, turning her attention back to Serena as she waited for an answer. For a moment, Serena considered not answering her just to be difficult but that was more effort than she was willing to expend.

"Your son is here on detention. I have rules in my class about disrespectful comments. May I ask why you're here, Mrs. Malfoy?"

Narcissa walked over and stood behind Draco, putting a protective hand on her son's shoulder. "Does a Mother need a reason to have a surprise dinner with her son?"

_No, you just don't want him alone with me. You must have paid someone a lot of money to tell them if I was spending any time alone with Draco for you to have gotten to Hogwart's this quickly. Or perhaps this is just mere random chance._

Serena steepled her fingers. "Well, since your mother came all this way to surprise you, Draco, I suppose we can cut this short for now. However, I will let Professor Lupin know to expect you tomorrow to finish your assignment and that you'll be handing it in to him."

"Very well. Draco?" Narcissa offered her son her arm so he could walk her out of the room. Serena couldn't help but smile; she had at least accomplished one thing: she'd made Narcissa Malfoy nervous and that small victory brought her a tiny bit of glee. It was petty. She knew it and she didn't care.

Narcissa and Draco were halfway to the portkey when Draco finally asked, "Is something going on, Mother?" Draco was suspicious. His mother wasn't usually a clingy woman and it had been a long time since she'd surprised him at school.

"Does a mother need an excuse to visit with her son?" she asked with a smile.

Draco responded with that teenage smile that said he was torn between being pleased by being his mother's attention and embarrassed by it. They reached the portkey, and then arrived at the Manor in an instant. Narcissa's House Elf scurried out; he was thin and nervous. Since Lucius had lost Dobby to Harry Potter's trick, Milo had been doing double the work.

"Dinner is ready, Madame," he said in a high, trebly voice.

"Good." Narcissa waved her hand dismissively and Milo disappeared instantly.

When she walked in to the massive dining room, the table was set and well appointed with crystal and fine china. Candles burned in the chandelier and there were flowers on the table. There were two roasted ducks seasoned with rosemary on the table and several bowls with side dishes. There was a basket of fresh, crusty bread that was still steaming. Each plate had three glasses with it. One had wine, the next water, and the last had hot mulled cider. The one thing that was missing was her husband.

"Where's Father?" asked Draco.

"I'm sure he was just delayed at work," said Narcissa, but inside she wasn't so sure. The past few days, Lucius had taken to coming home whenever he felt like it. As if on cue, the front door shut and Lucius, wearing a smug smile, strolled into the dining room. His smile faded slightly when he looked at Narcissa but then his eyebrows went up as his eyes fell on Draco.

"Draco?"

The boy shrugged. "Mother wanted to have a surprise dinner so she came to get me at Hogwart's."

"Did she? How quaint, a family dinner."

They all sat down and as they started dinner, Narcissa looked up with a smile. "Did work keep you late tonight, dear?"

The strangest smile crossed Lucius' face before he responded to his wife. "I suppose it was work. I had to confer about the transfer from Azkaban tomorrow."

"Wouldn't that be Ms. Parson's responsibility?"

"Yes, Meredith is handling the logistics of the transfer, but I wanted to review her plans. We wouldn't want any mishaps. She's actually quite good… at her job."

Narcissa forced the smile to stay on her face but Draco had picked up on the odd current between his parents. He put his fork down slowly.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Whatever do you mean?" asked his father.

"You're both acting a bit looney," said Draco.

"Looney? Well, perhaps I have been working too much. But I assure you, Draco. I'm far from looney." Lucius managed to chuckle at his son.

"Your Father is right. He's just had a lot on his mind lately," said Narcissa. "Once the trial is done, we can all get back to the way things used to be."

Lucius turned his eyes to his wife. _Oh really? You slept with my brother. Things will never be the same, Narcissa._

With that, the conversation turned to the trial and everything Lucius hoped to accomplish tomorrow, and from there it progressed to Draco's classes and his success on the Quidditch field. But as he went to bed that night, Draco couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on than his parents would admit to.

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_Wow. Two chapters in one weekend. I was on a roll! Hope you've enjoyed this one… stay tuned for how Sirius helps Serena and the start of Severus' "trial" – all coming up in future chapters! Please read/review and let me know what you think!_


	25. Unexpected Angel

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for full disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **Lucius is just being himself; he's always up for a little psychological gamesmanship and torture

**Mercury Gray… **Lucius is discreet. He's never been caught doing anything wrong (at least not with any concrete evidence)… and who is to say that he isn't just playing games with Narcissa?

**Angoliel… **Useful? Your suggestions are more than useful, my friend!

**Sammie-b… **Welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed "Thunderstruck" and that you've gotten so far through "Panther."

**Wyall Jared… **As always, I'm terribly pleased you like my story… (and I hope I got my UK slang right in this chapter!)

* * *

**Chapter 25: Unexpected Angel**

While Draco tried to figure out what his parents were hiding from him, Grimmauld Place was bustling with activity. Nearly every member of the Order of the Phoenix was there. They had forbidden Serena to come; she needed to rest and not be away from Hogwart's until the trial, and Lupin had to be there to fill in for her the following day.

"So," said Dumbledore. "What do we know?" He ran his long fingers over his beard and looked at the Order of the Phoenix members scattered about the living room.

"Not a bloody, flippin' thing," snorted Tonks. Her hair was shoulder length and an odd shade of rusty red with yellow tips.

"Thank you for that concise description," said Sirius Black with a bored sigh.

"Don't start, either of you," ordered Molly Weasley. "I've had enough of your bickering and foolishness for one night."

"What we know," said Mad-Eye Moody, "is that the Death Eaters are up to something. They've all been terribly quiet since Severus was imprisoned. We can only assume that they're still working to bring You Know Who back."

"They're using the trial as a front. Everyone is so caught up in that, they're not paying attention to anyone else," said McGonagall.

"And something odd is going on with the Malfoys," said Tonks.

"They're always odd," said Sirius.

"No, Tonks is right," said Arthur. "Lucius has been very, very interested in the trial."

"Well, his brother is the main accuser," growled Moody. "Makes sense that he'd be interested."

"It's more than that," said Tonks. "I've seen Lucius around the Ministry and he's been… flirtatious." She couldn't hide her distaste.

"It almost seems like he's trying to provoke his wife," said Arthur. "I've seen them a few times and something's wrong. They try to hide it but…"

"Well, hopefully their little marital spat will keep him out of the thick of whatever mischief is brewing," said Minerva McGonagall.

"As if that would ever bloody happen," grumbled Tonks. "He's got too much invested in making sure Snape is found guilty, and his brother's got too much invested in watching Serena suffer."

"She likes to suffer; she wakes up to Snape's beak every morning." Sirius thought he kept his voice low as he whispered to Arthur. He was wrong and in an instant the three female heads in the room snapped their attention to him like hawks on a mouse.

"You gormless ponce! Prat!" shrieked Tonks. "How dare you be so insulting?"

"You really have no class sometimes, Sirius," said Minerva coldly. "Haven't you ever heard the old adage of 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all…"

"None of my children would EVER speak like that in a situation like this!" Molly's voice was shrill. "Would they Arthur?"

"No, dear," he said, looking anywhere but at his wife. They just wouldn't do it so you could hear it…

While all this went on, Dumbledore merely watched with his eyebrows raised. "Ladies," he finally said, "I think you have thrashed Sirius enough and I'm sure he'll think before he speaks next time. Won't you, Sirius?"

"Indeed," he mumbled.

"We need to be getting back home," said Arthur. "We all need to be there for the start of the trial tomorrow."

"Yes," agreed Minerva as they all walked towards the door.

"Severus never wanted our help; he doesn't need our help," grumbled Sirius.

McGonagall turned to look over her shoulder just before she left and said, "What Severus needs is a guardian angel, and last I looked none of us have wings. Not even Serena."

The door shut and the Manor was engulfed in silence. _A guardian angel?_ A guardian angel! Sirius ran down to his library and started pulling books off the shelves. He looked at title after title, throwing each over his shoulder in frustration. Finally he dragged out a dust-covered tome from behind a few other books. He blew the dust off the cover and flipped it open.

"That's it. If there are no other choices, this could be the answer," he said to himself. He cast a quick spell on the book that would allow anyone who held it to travel at unbelievable speeds. He transformed into his dog form and picked the book up in his mouth. As he ran out the door, he turned into a black blur.

Just before midnight, Serena's eyes blinked open. Outside a dog was barking fiercely. She lay in bed for a moment waiting for the annoying creature to quiet down. Of all the nights she wanted to sleep, tonight was the one. But the dog didn't stop.

"What the bloody hell is that beast's problem," she snarled as she flung the covers back and stormed to the front door, wand in hand. Outside was a huge, shaggy black dog. He growled and cocked his head at Serena. She lowered the wand slowly as she realized who it was.

_What on earth are you doing here, Sirius?_ She took great care not to say his name out loud. The dog barked again and pawed the ground. Then Serena realized his front paws rested on an old book.

"A book?" She took a few steps forward and the dog backed away from the tome. She bent down and picked it up. It was very old, so old that she could barely see the print on the cover. Sirius barked once more and disappeared into the woods. An old bookmark with a gold tassel marked a particular page. Serena took the book inside and sat down. She opened to the marked page and started to read. As she did, her eyes lit up.

"Hellfire, Sirius! You may have just saved Severus' life."

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_Hope you liked it… next chapter we get to the trial. Please read/review and let me know what you think!_


	26. The Dark Mark

**Disclaimer: Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Shout outs…**

**Mark Darcy… **Welcome. I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories. I hope you like the rest of Panther!

**Evenstar Elanor… **A good hook at the end of each chapter is a good thing… hopefully it makes readers want more!

**Angoliel… **"Huggles, snuggles and lots of roses?" Yippee! I surely like that better than gnawing, my friend.

**Lady of the Dog Star… **Proximity to the holiday in that chapter was more to make sure she was past the bad memories associated with it, and also Samhain is the start of the new year. New year, new life… that's what I was thinking.

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**Chapter 26: The Dark Mark**

Severus stood outside of the courtroom in a small anteroom. He was alone for the first time that day and he knew his solitude would only last for a moment. He could still feel the warm silky fur of the phantom panther that had visited him most nights lately. Somehow the mysterious silver creature's presence had brought him reassurance and kept his darkest thoughts at bay.

"Well," said Meredith coming in brusquely. "This should all be over with soon enough."

"The less I see of you the better," growled Severus.

"Humph. Well I shan't miss your sour company as well. I'm moving in much better circles now."

Severus looked her up and down. Meredith had worn a very form-fitting dress under her cloak with a neckline that dipped down revealing quite a bit of cleavage. It was enough to be mildly scandalous but not enough to be tacky. She had makeup on and her nails were recently manicured and polished.

"Silly bint. If you think you're going to get a romp in the sack with Lucius, you're going to be very disappointed." He was only guessing that it was Lucius, but he had seen Meredith flirting with him more than once. Her sharp, shocked reaction told him he was right.

"You obviously don't know what you're talking about." She stared at him frostily.

Severus smiled, enjoying the small victory. "Well, I must be mistaken, but that's probably good. Lucius Malfoy isn't one to get involved in anything that will leave loose ends to trip him up. And with a wife like Narcissa, you would surely be a loose end."

"Well there's the pot calling the kettle black," she sneered. "You should be one to talk about being a loose end. Come on, off you go." She pointed imperiously towards the door and with a deep breath, Severus walked forward.

Outside in the courtroom, every seat was taken. There was a large, elevated bench where seven judges sat, each with a serious scowl on their faces. At the front of the room was a circular dais where Severus would stand for the trial. Jeremy sat at a desk, with all his papers in front of him and at a table nearby sat two other barristers with Malificus in between them. As the accuser, he had to sit with the prosecutors in this particular case. Behind Malificus sat Lucius and Narcissa.

Serena sat behind Jeremy and she was surrounded by friends. Dumbledore was there along with McGonagall and Madam Hooch. The Weasleys were there and so was Tonks, who smiled encouragingly at Serena. Several rows back, Serena's Aunt Kerry was there along with her daughter Fiona who had insisted on coming with her. Serena was glad they were there. She didn't know if she could get through this day alone.

The doors of the anteroom swung open without a sound. Serena sat up a little straighter, straining to see and when she did finally catch a glimpse of Severus she nearly burst into tears. He was thin and drawn and he had circles under his eyes. His hair was unkempt. She wasn't necessarily surprised. _Let the villain look scruffy, she thought. Use how he looks to turn opinion against him._

Severus saw Serena and stopped short. It took all of his self-discipline not to try to hurry over to her or call her name. He had to be content with the long, trusting look they shared. The bailiff gave him a hard shove between the shoulder blades and Severus stumbled forward. They brought him to circular area surrounded on three sides by a waist-high railing.

"Order! Order!" shouted Umbridge, peering over the rim of her glasses. Just hearing her voice made Serena fume. She leaned forward and Jeremy leaned back.

"How the bloody hell did she get on the panel of judges?" hissed Serena. Jeremy shook his head; he didn't know but seeing her up there gave him an uneasy feeling down in the pit of his stomach.

Lucius glanced around the packed courtroom with an amused smile as he enjoyed the circus. He was also enjoying Malificus' discomfort. Lucius had made sure his brother was impeccably groomed and dressed and the refinement only made his disfigurement more pronounced. He'd also taken great pleasure in only allowing Malificus to speak when reciting his story about how Severus had tempted him to evil as a Death Eater.

Serena thought the trial started well. Jeremy made an impassioned and thought-provoking opening argument, but after that, things began to slowly unravel. No matter what Jeremy asked of the witnesses, his line of questioning was challenged and cut down for no legitimate reason. As each moment wore on, Serena could see the frustration in Jeremy's eyes increasing and as that happened Serena felt more cornered and desperate. The only think keeping her in her seat was what she read in the book Sirius had brought… but that was a last ditch option.

Severus was also feeling desperate. He could see very clearly that he was being railroaded and no matter what Jeremy said, no matter what excellent point he started to make, it wasn't going to make any difference. They were going to condemn him and then they were going to execute him. He – along with everyone else in the room – could feel the presence of the Dementors in the other anteroom. They were just waiting for the moment Umbridge proclaimed him guilty.

He shifted in his space. His arm was starting to itch but he didn't pay too much attention. He was too busy trying to find a way to turn the tide in his favor. Suddenly, a searing pain shot up Severus' arm. He knew what it was and he wanted to deny it, but the pain was so intense he couldn't help but cry out in pain and sink to his knees.

Serena jumped up and shouted his name. Tonks and Arthur held her back, keeping her from jumping the railing. If she'd done that she would have brought the wrath of the bailiffs down on both her and Severus. And if that happened, it would turn sentiment even harder against Hogwart's Potions Professor.

"What's the meaning of this?" shrilled Umbridge and then her eyes got wide. "His arm! Show me his arm!"

A bailiff with distinctly trollish features literally ripped the sleeve of off Severus' linen shirt. The courtroom exploded in an uproar of shouts and cries. There, clear on Severus' arm, in all its horrible glory, pulsed the Dark Mark.

Voldemort had returned.

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_Please read/review! Let me know what you think is working (and of course, I'm open to suggestions for improvement!)_


	27. Truth Through Blood

**Disclaimers: **Please see Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers.

**Thanks and appreciation to…**

**Mark Darcy… **Whoops! Thanks for the type-o marker! I'll have to get back to fix that.

**Evenstar Elanor…** Your questions about the Dark Mark will be answered.

**Angoliel…** Hope my computer issue hasn't frustrated you too much and that this chapter is worth the wait.

* * *

**Chapter 27: Truth Through Blood**

As chaos erupted in the room, Lucius glanced around calmly. _It worked!_ He wished he could crow his victory to the skies. _My plan worked!_ He had known that the other Death Eaters would return Voldemort to the corporeal plane during the trial, and so did the other disguised Death Eaters in the courtroom. So when the Dark Mark finally flared, none of them had reacted.

Now everyone was staring at Severus' bare arm. Up on the judge's bench, Umbridge leaped to her feet. "This is all the proof we need!" she shrilled. "We cannot leave a minion of You Know Who free to roam under these circumstances! Minister, I move for an immediate declaration of guilt and institution of punishment."

"Well, I say, I mean, I suppose we should…" Fudge was his usual decisive self and Umbridge used to her own ends.

"The Minister has declared it," she shouted, not even letting him finish. "Bring them in!"

One of the bailiffs opened the other anteroom and two Dementors glided out, adding even more fear and chaos to the room. Several Wizards and Witches fled, but most stayed. Bound by magical shackles within his defendant's box, Severus had no where to go. He watched the creature ooze forward, transfixed and frozen in horror.

In one smooth leap, Serena jumped up on the banister that separated the gallery from the barristers, jumped onto Jeremy's table and then leaped to the floor. Most people were so riveted by the tableau before them, that they never even noticed her. But Umbridge did.

"Stop her!" shouted Umbridge. One Auror turned towards Serena only to be blindsided by a flying body and knocked to the ground.

"Hurry, Professor! I won't be able to tackle them all!" To Serena's surprise, it was Oliver Wood. She hadn't seen him in the gallery, but when the chaos started, he'd pushed his way to the front. She threw him a grateful smile and then lunged, wand drawn, to put herself between Severus and the Dementors. The creature hesitated for a split second, evaluating this potential new threat – and new victim.

Struggling with his shackles, Severus yelled at his wife. "Get away from here, Serena. They'll destroy you to get to me… I'm not worth dying for. I'm not worth it."

She took her eyes off of the Dementors only long enough to look over her shoulder at him. "You are worth dying for a thousand times over, Severus." There was nothing but conviction in her voice and it humbled him. Then Serena turned towards Fudge and Umbridge and her eyes flashed angrily. "You can't have him yet! He still has one more defense."

"Come now dear, stand aside. Everything's decided. We don't want the Dementors hurting you by accident," said Fudge.

"Take care of him," ordered Umbridge. "Now!" The hooded specters began to slither forward towards Severus again.

"No!" Serena shouted so the whole gallery could hear her. "Expecto Patronum!" Silver white light shot out of her wand and gathered on the floor. It stretched and wavered and came together. Severus was stunned to see a silver-white panther crouched in front of him. It silently snarled at the Dementors and the creatures backed off. One brave one darted in only to be raked by the Patronus' claws. It squealed and writhed in pain.

Serena raised her hands over her head, with her wand pointed down. "Through blood we will discover the truth… Veritas Sanguinae…!"

"No!" The roaring voice was Severus', and it all but drowned out the end of her spell, but everyone heard it and the room was filled with the gasps of surprise by everyone gathered for the trial. Even Lucius Malfoy looked surprised. As Serena cast the spell a green and gold aura surrounded her. It shimmered and shifted like the aurora borealis.

"This could kill you," Severus said in an agonized whisper. He remembered what it had felt like to nearly lose her to the Dominatus Crystal. He was staring at her hand which had begun to glow a bright white.

"Are you guilty of what they've accused you of?" she asked.

"No. I've done some awful things, but not what I am on trial for."

"Then this will not kill me." There was a resigned, quiet confidence in her voice. She placed her hand on Severus' chest and it seemed to sink into him. He could feel something inside him pulling, tugging but it didn't frighten him. Serena withdrew her hand.

"Your innocence is my protection."

The ground around Serena rumbled and the tile floor cracked. Massive cracks opened and out of the gaps two huge, grasping hands emerged. They were easily twice the size of a normal man's hand, maybe even three times as large. The fingers were long and bony with wiry hair twisting out from the bulging knuckles. Dirty and long, the fingernails were pointed and had a yellowish tint. They grabbed Serena by the arms and yanked her down to her knees.

She stared coldly at Malificus. "Time to expose your lies," she growled. "Defend yourself if you can."

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_Well, we're into it now. Please read/review and let me know what you think!_


	28. First Blood

**Disclaimers: As always, disclaimers are in the first few chapters.**

**Thanks to my rogue's gallery of reviewers…**

**Mercury Gray… **Welcome back!

**Angoliel… **It is all about the cliff-hanger, my friend!

**Evenstar Elanor… **You know I couldn't keep Oliver away! I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much!

**Mark Darcy… **Leave you hanging? Me? Well, maybe a little… Actually, if you ask Merc, Angoliel and Evenstar, they'll tell you that I do it quite often, really.

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**Chapter 28: First Blood**

Serena's Patronus padded around her, growling softly. A few people nearby glanced at each other warily. They'd never heard a Patronus make noise before. It must be this insane, archaic spell of Serena's the reasoned.

From her restrained position, Serena glared at the part of the gallery where the Malfoys waited. "Malificus Malfoy!" she shouted. "I name you black liar and fell scoundrel. You seek to destroy through treachery, but that treachery will be your own undoing! You have this one chance to recant else the spell is set, and if the spell should be set, the blood of the guilty party will be the only acceptable payment."

Malificus looked back over his shoulder at Lucius. _You bastard, he thought. I cannot recant… not with your spell binding me. You send me to a fight I cannot win… You are sending me to my death!_

Lucius leaned forward. "I'd rather planed a different demise for you, but this will work nicely," he whispered so no one else could hear. "The Dark Lord is back and you're useless now. You've played your role as a distraction quite nicely. I hope your little tumble with my wife was worth it. Defend yourself as best you can but you are forbidden to ever mention my role in this little affair."

As Lucius whispered to his brother, Tonks walked forward confidently and stood next to the silver panther. She pointed her wand at the Dementors which had been slowly moving towards Severus again, now that Serena was restrained.

"What are you doing, Nymphadora?" barked Umbridge. "Stand aside!"

"I can't, Madame Umbridge; not until this is finished."

Jeremy Thorne spoke up then. He projected his voice so the entire room could hear him. "She's right. The Veritas Sanguinae spell is part of our legal system. Granted, I don't think anyone has invoked it in centuries, but it is still a legal, legitimate, and binding defense. It is totally appropriate for an Auror to guard the accused until such time as his guilt or innocence is proven… I know the Minister and the Judges would never do something as heinous as interfere with the course of justice."

Umbridge fumed. Even with the glaring insult from Jeremy, she knew she had to let this run its course or else expose – more than she already had – her blatant desire to make a name for herself at any cost.

Malificus stood up from his table with remarkable poise and walked regally towards Serena. Severus strained within his confines, not wanting to let Malificus come anywhere close to his wife. The younger Malfoy brother drew out his wand.

"I cannot recant," he said, and for a moment Serena thought she actually detected a trace of sadness in his voice. "Expecto Patronum!" Silvery light shot out from his wand and coalesced on the ground, taking the form of a large jackal. The beast snarled at Serena's panther and the two creatures began to circle each other warily. As they did, another set of decayed hands with pointed yellow nails exploded up out of the ground. The hands grasped at Malificus, binding him the same way Serena was imprisoned. In the gallery, most of the remaining Wizards and Witches fell silent as they watched. Oliver Wood pushed up to the railing.

"Professor…" he said softly. His unrelenting crush on Serena during his last year at Hogwarts had lessened but had not disappeared entirely.

"If her husband is innocent, she'll be fine," said a woman's voice with a distinctly Irish accent. Oliver looked to his right and blinked. The young woman talking to him smiled. She had thick dark hair, blue-grey eyes, and dimples when she smiled.

"How… how do you know that? How can you be sure?" he asked once he found his voice again.

"'Tis the nature of the spell, boyo," she laughed. "Severus' innocence will give her Patronus additional power and stamina, enough to overcome the other one. But it will be painful… for her and for Malfoy. Each blow will not register on the Patronus, but on the person who summoned it."

In front of them, the jackal's cackling bark was met by a hiss from the panther, and the Irish girl's face sobered significantly. She slid her arm through Oliver's, much to his surprise.

"I know my Aunt Serena will win, but I'm still scared," she admitted.

"Aunt?"

"I'm Fiona."

Without thinking, Oliver covered Fiona's hand with his. "I'm Oliver…"

"I know. You're Oliver Wood. You play Quidditch for Puddlemere," she said. "Serena used to talk about what a good player you were at Hogwarts. I've watched a few of your games…"

They were interrupted by a pained yelp from the jackal. The panther had struck out with a paw, catching the silver canine on the shoulder. From where he stood, Malificus closed his eyes and grimaced as the shoulder of his shirt ripped away, exposing fresh and bloody claw marks.

Serena had drawn first blood.

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_Well? Good? Bad? What do you think? Please read/review_


	29. Death and Justice

**Disclaimers: See Chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers.**

**Thank you…**

**Evenstar Elanor… **I couldn't resist throwing Oliver together with Serena's niece.

**Mark Darcy…** I'm looking forward to what you think of this chapter.

**Angoliel… **"Dude, this chapter was tight." How I do love to hear that. Thank you!

FINALLY! We get some action! That spell was so tight. Do more, do more!

**Wyall Jared… **Welcome back. Hope all the exams and such went well but no need for the double eek!

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**Chapter 29: Death and Justice**

Serena got some small satisfaction from the pained groan that slipped past Malificus' lips, but she knew she wasn't going to get through this ordeal without some pain of her own as the ruff of fur at the base of the jackal's neck started to stand up.

"That's just the start, Malificus," she said. "The Patronus manifestations will continue to battle until one is dead. The spell draws power from innocence, and the Patronus fueled by that will win…"

As she spoke, the panther and the jackal closed again, biting and slashing, and this time it was Serena who bled. A deep bite appeared in her leg and bled freely.

"So much for the invincibility of innocence," laughed Malificus. Serena glared at him and Malificus threw all of his will and intent into the jackal. His brother may have set him up to fail, even to die, but he was a Malfoy and he was not going to submit quietly.

The panther and the jackal attacked each other again, devolving into a writhing mass of white fur punctuated by grunts and gasps from Serena and Malificus. The younger Malfoy brother cried out in pain as claw marks lanced across his cheek, opening it to the bone. Across from him, Serena was gasping as a section of her shirt ripped away only to expose deep bite and scratch marks. The gallery shifted uneasily. Most of them had expected the Patronus to bleed, not Serena and Malificus

For his part, Severus would have preferred that someone cut a piece of his own heart out rather than watch Serena become bloodier by the moment. He could still feel the vague connection between them that he'd felt when she laid her hand on his chest earlier. Each blow she suffered, Severus could feel a shadowy repercussion. He knew how much pain she was in.

The bite marks burned in Serena's side and she ground her teeth together. _I'm certain he's innocent. I'm sure of it, but why is Malificus still so strong? He falsely accused Severus. The fight shouldn't be this hard…_ And she wasn't the only one wondering that exact same thing.

"Why in blazes isn't he finished?" growled McGonagall.

"How can Serena keep going? She's bleeding so heavily!" Molly Weasley covered her face with her hands and Arthur put his arms around her. Next to them, Dumbledore said nothing, but he steepled his long fingers and looked from Malificus to Lucius and back again.

"What are you thinking, Headmaster?" asked Kerry.

"I think Mr. Malfoy may be stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. If he had really accused Severus, his Patronus would have failed by now… but he had the chance to admit his folly before and he didn't. What would make him choose this path?"

"Death before dishonor?" offered Jeremy, who had drifted over to stand with them as well.

Albus peered over his glasses one more time. "I think there is more to it than that, but I doubt we will ever know what it is." Hogwart's Headmaster watched the conflicted emotions flicker through Lucius' eyes. Hate. Sadness. Anger. Regret. Fear. Sorrow. Satisfaction. Each lasted only a fraction of a second.

Another cry from Serena filled the courtroom as deep scratch marks ran across her face. The crowd gasped collectively. The marks went from the middle of her forehead diagonally down across her cheek.

"Bloody hell," shouted Fiona, "she nearly lost an eye!" She turned away and buried her face in Oliver's shirt. Dumbstruck for a moment he didn't respond. Then he put his arms around her gently, but he never took his eyes off of Serena and her Patronus.

Severus' knees buckled and he had to grip the railing surrounding him for support. If she'd been able to help him, Tonks would have offered to let him lean on her, but she was his guard and for now, she couldn't touch him.

"Serena…" he whispered.

"Finish this," said Tonks under her breath. "Be done with that fool."

"Why are you fighting so hard?" gasped Serena. "You know you're going to lose; you know Severus didn't do the things you accused him of. Your jackal is getting paler, weaker…"

"Sometimes you have no choice in the matter…" Malificus grimaced as Lucius' spell kicked in, preventing him from saying anything else about being compelled or who may have compelled him.

While watching all of this, Narcissa kept her face neutral, nothing more than a porcelain mask. Lucius glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps he had punished her enough for her indiscretion, but then again, maybe not… "So much for your lover's pretty face," he whispered. She looked at the ground and refused to meet his eyes.

The battle lasted for another 20 minutes with both Malificus and Serena earning serious wounds for their pain. Serena's clothes were covered in blood and she finally sank down to her knees, exhausted and weak, still trapped by the grip of the moldering hands.

"Why can't you just admit the truth?" she whispered. Her weak voice was so soft, she could barely be heard. And then Malificus stunned the entire room.

"You're right, Serena. He didn't recruit me to be a Death Eater. I lied about Severus."

"Why, Malificus?"

He opened his mouth but no words came out until he slowly said, "Sometimes the things we must do are not the things we wish to do…" _And I am tired of bleeding to death and being unable to die. Death is better than being enslaved by my brother._

With a twist that was nearly faster than the eye could follow, the panther turned and pounced, landing on the jackal's back. It dug its claws into the jackal's shoulders and sunk pointed fangs into the flesh around the jackal's neck. With a blood-chilling yelp the jackal twisted away. Malificus felt the pain in his neck and knew.

Staggering a few steps, the jackal dropped to the ground. It lay still on the floor, a jagged piece of its throat torn open, growing paler by the moment, fading away as a shadow fades before the dawn. Severus looked at Malificus, expecting him to be dying on the floor but he was disappointed. Malificus stood straight and defiant.

"There," shouted Serena through her tears to the judges. Blood ran freely down her face and her arms. Deep bite marks dotted her thighs. "There is your truth through blood; Severus is innocent! Release him and end this travesty of a trial!"

Malificus stood quietly, resigned at last to his fate as he felt the blood start to run swiftly down his neck and pool under his feet. He felt lighter, thinner, and a small part of him was grateful that the end wasn't going to be horribly painful. He had his moment to think back on his life, and there actually wasn't much he would change. He had enjoyed his wine and his women, had been respected by most of the other Death Eaters, and feared by his enemies. He wouldn't even change the affair with Narcissa. Despite Lucius' fury, it had been worth it to give his brother such a comeuppance.

But there was one thing that the clarity of impending death illuminated for Malificus, and that was the crux of his contentious and often violent relationship with Serena.

"You win, Serena." Malificus' laugh was choked with bitterness. "All these years I tried to hurt you, to destroy you, when I was really only running away from the fact that I loved you… I wish I had known how to make you love me. No one else does." He deliberately looked over towards his brother.

Inside his chest, Malificus heart began to beat wildly, vainly searching for blood that no longer came to it. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped to the floor and with a final rasping breath, it was finished. Without a word or a glance back, Lucius left the room with Narcissa following in his wake, but the few people who saw him leave didn't miss the misty film that covered his eyes.

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_I hope you liked it! Please read/review and let me know what you think! (and don't worry; I haven't forgotten that Voldemort is back…)._


	30. Verdict

**Disclaimers… as always, please see Chapters 1 & 2 for my disclaimers.**

**Shout outs & appreciation to…**

**Mark Darcy… **Your questions about the judicial system should be at least somewhat answered after this chapter.

**Evenstar Elanor…** I was hoping to elicit some sort of empathy for both Lucius and Malificus. I don't want anyone to forgive them necessarily, or like them because of all they've done, but I would like readers to connect with them, even if it is just a little.

**Angoliel…** Yea, I'm probably guilty as charged (no pun intended) for the punctuation errors, but I'm glad you liked this chapter so much!

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**Chapter 30: Verdict**

The gnarled and hairy hands released Serena as they disappeared back into the ground, leaving a gutted and crumbled pile of floor tiles behind. She sagged to the floor, her head in her hands but was only alone for a moment. As soon as the hands released her Severus knew he was free from the spell and he rushed to Serena's side.

Supporting her, he pulled his wife into his arms and pushed some of her long hair out of her face. He used his arm to cradle her head and she smiled at him wanly. He looked at all the cuts, the gashes, the deep scratches. Some went nearly to the bone.

"Serena? Serena, you'll be fine. I'll take care of you now." His voice was little more than a whisper in her ear but that's all she really needed. She smiled again and pushed her head against his chest. A moment later they were surrounded by friends. Madam Pomfrey pushed her way past everyone and began to examine her.

"Is she going to be alright?" Severus' eyes were bright and the bored into Madame Pomfrey's. If she didn't know better, Hogwart's head nurse would have been afraid of Severus but she knew the intensity was concern for his wife, nothing more.

"She'll be fine. Look, Severus. Even now the marks are going away."

Pomfrey was right. The open wounds weren't really bleeding anymore and some of the small cuts were simply fading scars. The panther padded over and nuzzled Serena's head. She raised a hand slowly and rubbed the creature's cheek affectionately. The panther walked around them and rubbed up against Severus. He felt the vibration of a purr and couldn't help but smile.

"How did you send the Patronus to me in Azkaban?" he asked.

"What are you talking about?" asked Serena. "I didn't send anything. I couldn't have gotten a spell past the magical barricades."

"But a white panther came and kept me company. A silver panther, just like your Patronus."

"I may have answer," offered Dumbledore. "I think you saw simply the shadow of a silver panther… an astral projection. The only way Serena could help you was to project her feelings. I think they were so strong, that they took a shape to resemble her Patronus, because the Patronus reflects an inner image of her."

"Love conquers all, eh?" smiled Tonks.

Severus pressed his forehead against Serena's. "Yes, it does. I won't ever doubt it again." He kept his voice low; his words were for Serena and Serena only. "I love you, Serena. I love you."

In the press of the crowd and the milling in the general gallery, Jeremy Thorne stood up on his chair. "If I may… With all due respect to the court, I believe we are through here. The innocence of the accused has been proven beyond a doubt, not only by the spell but at the admission of his accuser. Everyone here heard Malificus Malfoy – may he rest in peace – say that he falsely accused Severus Snape of recruiting him to be a Death Eater. I must insist that my client be declared innocent of the charges and released immediately!"

"But his arm!" sputtered Umbridge. "The Mark! We can't just let…"

"He abandoned the Death Eaters years ago. His affiliation was a momentary lapse of judgment when he was a youth," said Jeremy smoothly. "And if I may remind you, Madame, that is NOT what he was on trial for."

Umbridge stared daggers at Thorne who simply smiled charmingly at her.

"Yes, yes," said Fudge. "We can hardly condemn a man for the sometimes misguided choices of youth. I know Madame Umbridge only had the best interests of the population at large in mind, and I'm sure she will apologize for the events that have transpired here."

"Of course," mumbled Umbridge with a complete lack of sincerity. "I do apologize."

"Whatever," muttered Severus, not even bothering to look at her.

"Now, if you could render your final decision?" prompted Jeremy.

"But of course," said Fudge. "All those judges in favor of finding the defendant, Severus Snape, innocent on all counts, raise your hand." Fudge's hand was the first to go up and it was quickly followed by all the others except Umbridge. Serena locked eyes with her for a moment and even in her weakened state managed a glare that made Umbridge swallow hard. The toady woman's hand went up timidly.

"A unanimous verdict," beamed Fudge as if he had orchestrated the whole thing himself. "Excellent. Mister, um, err, Professor Snape, you are free to go with the court's apology."

Snape wasn't listening; his head was bent low as he still whispered to his wife. She struggled in his arms a little until he finally acquiesced and let her sit up. Serena felt a little light-headed and woozy.

"Headmaster," she said. "What do we do now? It isn't a secret that… HE'S back…"

"You're going to do nothing," said Dumbledore. "Neither of you are..."

"But we can't just let…"

"Oh shut your wee gob, missy," gruffed Kerry, and Serena blinked at her in surprise. "Let the man finish what he has to say before you go arguing with him." She shook her head in exasperation. Admonished, Serena fell silent.

"We'll take care of keeping an eye on Harry," said Dumbledore. "Voldemort will want to consolidate his power and those loyal to him before he does anything. Neither of you have the strength to help right now anyway. Severus is too drained from Azkaban and although your scars are fading before our eyes Serena, you're going to need several days of rest before you're feeling up to anything. In fact, I think that the two of you ought to leave on your long delayed honeymoon and get as far away from here as you can for a while."

All in all, that didn't sound like a terribly bad idea to either Serena or Severus. He gently helped her to her feet and steadied her. Serena felt like she hadn't walked in days; her legs felt rubbery and hard to control. Severus put his hand on Serena's cheek and caressed it softly with his thumb. He glanced up quickly, looking at everyone around them. He hadn't wanted his reunion with Serena to be so public.

"Oh, bloody hell," he cursed. "What do I care what they think?" And with that, he dropped his head down and finally kissed his wife.

A little ways away, Oliver Wood's brow wrinkled as he watched them. He still didn't quite understand what Serena saw in the dour, often moody, potions professor. He probably never would.

"There, there, Wood," clucked McGonagall. "You'll be alright lad. Don't try to understand it, just accept it."

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_Hope you're enjoying. Please read-review… !_


	31. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer: **Everything you need to know is in chapters 1 and 2

**Thank you, Thank you…**

**Angoliel… **You say the sweetest things! I'm flattered you like the story so much. There is a little bit more to come, no worries.

**Evenstar Elanor…** What does she see in him? I once saw a quote that said, "Love is not finding the perfect person but rather finding an imperfect person and learning to see them perfectly." You'll get a little from Narcissa in this chapter but I hadn't thought much about what to do with Malificus' body. The crypt idea would probably be the best route if I need to go there…

**Mercury Gray…** No worries. You shouldn't feel like you HAVE to review; only review if you WANT to review. Wisconsin? What was in Wisconsin? Did they make you eat those squeaky cheese curds? Hmmm, more emotion out of Oliver. I can see what you mean. I guess I did slack there a little. And no, this isn't quite the end. Read the next couple chapters to get the answers to your questions…

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**Chapter 31: Home Sweet Home**

They left the courthouse in short order. There was a small bit of paperwork to handle, but neither Severus nor Serena really minded. It didn't hurt that Jeremy shepherded everything through quickly, especially getting the verdict entered into the permanent record and getting Severus' wand back. Just to make certain that Severus and Serena weren't gawked at by any onlookers; they were surrounded by friends as they were spirited out of the court and to a portkey that Dumbledore had created especially to get everyone back to Hogwart's. The portkey was a non-descript lamppost and sitting next to it was a large, shaggy black dog. Severus' eyes narrowed, knowing exactly who the dog was.

"Minerva, you, Molly and Arthur go first and shoo any students away," said Dumbledore. "Serena and Severus will be along shortly."

The Weasleys joined hands and Molly reached out to put her hand on McGonagall's shoulder. The moment Minerva touched the portkey they vanished in a crackle and flash. Serena walked gingerly up to the dog and scratched the top of his head.

"Thank you," she said. "I owe you a favor some time." The dog barked and wagged his tail.

"You owe him a favor?" asked Severus suspiciously. "Why?"

"I'll explain it all some other time," said Serena with a rueful shake of her head. She grabbed Severus' hand and then reached out to the portkey without giving him time to ask any more questions. With a crackle and flash, they vanished, too.

Back in London, at the Malfoy manor, Lucius and Narcissa said very little to each other. Finally, as she handed her cloak and fancy hat to her House Elf, Narcissa turned to her husband. "Would you like me to contact Draco, or would you prefer to do it? He should know about Malificus before the paper comes out tomorrow."

"I'll handle it," Lucius said absently.

"Very well. I'm going to retire to bed. It has been a very long and trying day."

"Good night, my dear. I'll be along shortly."

Narcissa paused for a moment. It had been a long time since Lucius had used any sort of endearment towards her. Then she went to their bedroom and quickly changed into her nightgown. She climbed under the covers and her lip started to quiver. She grabbed a silk handkerchief off her nightstand and tried to stem the flow of tears.

"I should never have started my affair with you, Malificus," she whispered softly. "I let my anger with Lucius cloud my judgment all those years ago. For the part I played in your fate, I am sorry…"

An hour later, Lucius came to bed. He was utterly drained. Draco had not taken the news of his uncle's death well, and placed the blame firmly with Serena. He crawled into bed and pulled the sheet up to his waist, letting the cool night air flow over his chest. Putting his hands behind his head, he stared at the ceiling. Next to him, Narcissa lay still but he could tell by her posture that she wasn't asleep either.

Turning on his side, he put his arm around her and pulled her closer. He was tired of feeling alone and lonely. She could feel him press into her and her eyes widened in surprise. Since that fateful night when he'd taken her with such force, Lucius hadn't laid a hand on her. She turned over and looked into Lucius' eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He kissed her. "I know." Then he kissed her again.

By the time Serena and Severus reached their cottage on the edge of the Hogwart's school grounds, everything felt utterly surreal. Serena stopped on the stones in front of the door. She started to shake.

"Serena? What's wrong?"

She reached out and touched his face. "Are you really here? Really? If I wake up alone in our bed… I don't think I can take that."

"I am here," he said and he kissed the palm of her hand. "You're not alone any more."

She smiled and sniffed back her tears. "I'm sorry. I'm being such a silly cow…"

"Let's go inside. I'll make us some tea."

That sounded wonderful. Serena opened the door and walked in. On the living room sofa sat two House Elves, Mina and one she didn't recognize. Mina had some daisies in her lap, but as soon as Serena and Severus came in, the other House Elf disappeared in a fright.

"Miss Serena, you're home! And Professor Snape is home too!" cried Mina.

"Yes, we're home. Who was that, Mina?" asked Serena.

"That was just Tibby," said Mina.

"I know Tibby," said Serena. "He works at the school… he helps take care of the Ravenclaw rooms, doesn't he?" As she talked she walked into the bedroom to kick her shoes off. Severus stopped in the kitchen and with a flick of his wand (how wonderful it was to have his wand back!) set the tea kettle to boiling.

Mina nodded to Serena as she bustled around grabbing pillows and blankets and offering them to Serena. "Would Miss Serena like some tea? Mina will fetch whatever Miss Serena needs. Mina could draw her a bath or Mina could fix treats. Mina can find the Professor's favorite sleep pants and warm him a biscuit…"

Severus looked in from the kitchen. All he wanted to do was be alone with Serena. He had not missed the House Elf's prattle and he was ready to pick the House Elf up by the ears and toss her bodily from the room, but one cross look from Serena made him wait. He literally put his hands behind his back.

"Tibby gave you a flower, Mina. Does this mean you have a suitor?" asked Serena.

Mina's hands flew to her face and she glanced around shyly. "Well, yes, I guess… Mina does have a gentleman suitor…"

"Then I know what you can do for me," said Serena.

"Anything, Miss Serena. You are always so nice to Mina."

"I want you to go out and go walking with Tibby. Severus can take care of me for now. All I really need to do to get better is sleep. If I need anything at all Severus will get it for me, won't you, Severus?"

"Of course. In fact, the tea I started should be done… I'm going to go check on it and I'll be back in a moment. Really, Mina, you can feel free to go," encouraged Severus as he returned to the kitchen.

Mina watched Severus go and then turned back to Serena. "Are you certain, Miss Serena?"

"I'm certain, Mina. It would make me happy to know that you're having fun. Besides…" She gestured to the House Elf and when Mina came over, Serena whispered in her ear. "Besides, I haven't had any time alone with Severus since we got married."

"Oh… OH!" Mina's eyes got wide. "Mina understands! Mina will be going now and will come back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow AFTERNOON," said Serena firmly.

"Tomorrow afternoon," repeated Mina.

As the House Elf left the room, she met Severus on his way back in. "Serena missed you Professor Snape," she said. "Every night, she would cry. She missed you terrible, Professor, and it made Mina sad to see Miss Serena sad. Mina tried to make her happy, but Miss Serena was so worried about you."

"I know you tried to make her happy, Mina. I'm glad she had someone to look after her while I was gone. You did a very good job." As much as the House Elf normally grated on his nerves, Severus was sincerely grateful that she'd been around. He knew Mina's affection for Serena was genuine.

The House Elf paused, puzzled. She couldn't remember Severus ever telling her she'd done a good job. Most of the time a brief 'thank you' was all she would get from him. She bobbed her head in an effort to acknowledge the compliment and then disappeared in search of Tibby.

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_Probably only one or two more chapters to wrap up Silver Panther. I hope you've enjoyed it so far… as always, please read and review! Feedback is the only way I can improve! As always, keep the praise coming if you think the story deserves it, but I certainly do welcome constructive comments, too!_


	32. A Scent of Cinnamon and Epilogue

**Disclaimers: See chapters 1 and 2 for all disclaimers**

**Thank you!**

**Angoliel… **Thanks. I like the soft touches, too. There's something about the character of Severus Snape that makes me think that he is has a sensitive side that he hides beneath his crusty, moody, sarcastic shell. I wanted to show the "hidden side" in my story.

**Mercury Gray…** They have plenty of catching up to do. Read on and see what else is in store…

**Mark Darcy… **I think I have all of your reviews. I thought Mina deserved a little romance, too. And watching out for Draco… he's a Malfoy so I think that's a wise idea.

**Evenstar Elanor…** Lucius and Narcissa aren't totally set yet, but they're on their way. They were too good together to break up entirely. Read on to find out more…

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**Chapter 32: The Scent of Cinnamon**

"I think we're alone now," said Serena. She took one last swallow of tea and savored the fruity traces of her favorite raspberry blend. She put the cup down and shifted on the bed. While she was drinking it, Severus had draped himself on the covers with a sigh and a small smile. He ran his hands over the smooth cotton sheets, savoring the feel. Then he felt the edge of a different cloth, linen. From under Serena's pillow he pulled one of his shirts.

"What's this?"

"It smelled like you," she said. "I didn't want to sleep by myself; that was as close as I could get to you."

"Do you want it for tonight?"

"No," she laughed. "I like the real thing much better. Much, much better." She slid over the sheets and leaned down. They shared a brief, soft kiss that quickly turned into something more until Serena pulled away. She looked down at Severus. He was so thin; she couldn't believe how much weight he had lost in Azkaban, and the dark circles under his eyes made his skin look twice as pale as it usually was.

He sat up but before he could say anything, Serena said, "You look so tired and I'm behaving like a schoolgirl…"

"I am tired," he admitted, "but not that tired. I've been dreaming about you for weeks, about holding you, kissing you…" He ran his hand from Serena's waist, up over the curve of her breast and was rewarded with a surprised gasp. Then she laughed.

"Well, get ready for bed," she said. "I'll be right back." Once Serena disappeared into the bathroom, Severus stripped off his shirt and trousers and pulled on a pair of flannel sleep pants. The team logo for the North Exeter Nationals Quidditch team dotted the pants. Severus did a double-take when he looked in the mirror… the pants fit him just perfectly to make the North Exeter logo – under these particular circumstances – to stick out quite prominently.

"I look ridiculous," he muttered.

"I think you look quite charming," said Serena as she came back in. She had on a small tank top and matching pants which were dotted will red, pink, and white hearts. All in all, rather girlish for her, but they had been an impulse purchase. They crawled into bed and lay in the dark for a moment, both still a little stunned that the whole trial was over. Serena started to giggle.

"What?"

"Why did we bother to put pajamas on?"

Darkness hid the smile that curled Severus' lips. "I don't know. We're not going to leave them on, are we?"

She reached over and tugged at the tie of his waist band. "No, no, I don't think so."

A few minutes later, after all traces of flannel had been ejected from the bed, Severus held Serena close against him. He had always felt cold in Azkaban, except for when the panther was there, and Serena felt so warm next to him. Her skin almost felt hot to the touch. He ran his hands over Serena's arms and then rose up on his elbow to kiss her. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her throat, and heard a soft, throaty moan escape her lips.

Serena ran her hands through her hair as Severus began to trail kisses down the length of her body, tantalizing the skin wherever he touched, until finally he reached some of her most sensitive parts. When he did, Serena crushed the sheets in her fists and shouted his name breathlessly.

A few dizzying minutes later, Severus shifted and Serena kissed him with a satisfied sigh. "I love you," she whispered. "More than anything else."

"I love you, too, Serena. When we go on our honeymoon, I promise you we're going to spend every single night like this."

She smiled. "We'll be more exhausted than we are now." Serena shifted her body a little, creating more of a cradle for Severus, and he felt his body tighten. He had hoped to take his time, make the reunion with Serena last, but he couldn't wait any more. He moved forward and groaned as he felt his wife's warm and inviting embrace. She gripped his arms, and raised her head up a little so she could whisper in his ear.

As he moved, she told him how much she loved him, how much she wanted him, and Severus knew it was true. For once, the nagging feeling of inadequacy didn't invade his thoughts. She never stopped telling him, her words coming as fast as his tempo until they both reached the highest moment, and collapsed, laughing and panting into each others' arms.

Mina found them the next afternoon, still fast asleep. She made a special batch of hot oatmeal with brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon, and they both woke up to the delicious smell as it wafted in to the bedroom.

**EPILOGUE**

Two days after the end of the trial, Serena and Severus left the Hogwart's school grounds for a private cottage on the Blue Coast of Portugal. The cottage was on a hill overlooking a private beach and a cove. Rocks that extended into the water kept the surf at bay and the clear water was warm and quiet, and the there were several small grottoes for even more solitude. And Severus made good on his promise of how they would spend their evenings.

Once they returned, classes were back in session. Dumbledore had filled-in as Potions Professor while Tonks and Lupin had started the Defense Against Dark Arts classes. There was no word on where Voldemort had hidden himself, but there were rumors that not everything had gone quite as the Death Eaters planned. The Order of the Phoenix tried to find more information, but it was hard to come by, so everyone just remained alert for anything out of the ordinary. The next few months passed in a quiet serenity that both Severus and Serena welcomed and treasured.

As spring approached, Serena set to scrubbing and cleaning the cottage as if she were possessed. She worked tirelessly, doing many of the tasks by hand and picking a tremendously loud fight with Severus over whether or not she should use magic to do it or whether the cleaning was best done by hand. The cleaning frenzy set Mina in a tizzy as well, and the House Elf was convinced for days that Serena didn't think she did a good enough job.

A few days after the cleaning binge ended, and Serena finally made Mina understand that she was a wonderful housekeeper, Severus watched his wife pick at her dinner listlessly.

"Are you still feeling unwell?" he asked wondering if she was still in a snappish mood.

"A little," answered Serena, "but I might be under the weather for a while, we'll have to wait and see."

Severus frowned. "This isn't something Madam Pomfrey can take care of? I can make you a tea or a potion that will have you feeling fine in short order. You haven't had any of your tea yet…"

"I can't drink that kind of tea right now."

"Poppycock," Severus muttered. "It is one of your favorites."

"But it isn't good for the baby."

"So long as you steep the leaves for at least an hour, you…" The cup of tea was poised nearly at Severus lips as his voice faded into silence. He peered over the rim of the cup at his wife. Serena sat and waited.

"The… The…?"

"The baby."

The cup of tea dropped out of Severus' hand and shattered on the floor.

**FINI!**

_(… at least for now…!)_

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_Well, that's the end of Silver Panther. I really hope you've all enjoyed it. As you can all see from the end, I still have some ideas for Serena and Severus… but I need to take a break from them at least for a little while. I have a few notes for a next story, but nothing that is really sparking any fire, yet.  Please let me know what you thought of the story!_


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